The Sparks re-signed 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike, their No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft who has spent her entire career in Los Angeles, the team announced on Friday. It came a day after Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka's younger sister, spoke with reporters after her own re-signing.

Nneka Ogwumike, 32, reportedly signed for $165,000, according to ESPN. It's a $30K drop from her previous two seasons and approximately $70K lower than the supermax she could have signed. ESPN reported Ogwumike was willing to take the pay cut for the Sparks to juggle salary-cap issues. She joins a slew of superstars, namely Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart, who have done so this offseason.

Los Angeles has been active in free agency under new leadership with first-year general manager Karen Bryant and head coach Curt Miller, who led the Sun to the Finals last season. But the roster they built for 2023 has already been impacted.

Dearica Hamby, who came in a trade with the Aces, is pregnant and due in March. She has said she intends to play this season. Katie Lou Samuelson, also a forward, announced this month that she is pregnant. Samuelson is due in August and will not be available to play. Stephanie Talbot, another free agency signing, sustained a knee injury playing overseas and has been ruled out for the season.

Chiney Ogwumike is returning the the Los Angeles Sparks, as announced on NBA Today on Wednesday.

Ogwumike, 30, has career averages of 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game over 160 games played between the Connecticut Sun, which drafted her No. 1 overall in 2014, and the Sparks. Los Angeles acquired Ogwumike in a preseason trade with the Sun in 2019 that allowed her to continue her offseason ESPN career at their west coast studios.

The signing officially reunites her with head coach Curt Miller, her helmed the Sun during her career. In a statement on Wednesday, Ogwumike credited Miller for helping her be an All-Star in 2018 and someone "who knows my fight and journey on the court." It also unites her with sister Nneka Ogwumike.

The forward has dealt with injuries in recent seasons and played only seven games in 2021 and 26 last year. She called the last two seasons "the hardest of my basketball career, but I am motivated and inspired for this season to mark a new chapter for the Sparks and me."

The Chicago Sky announced on Monday they had re-signed Rebekah Gardner, who made the all-Rookie team in her first WNBA season after a decade overseas. Gardner averaged 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.4 assists in a bench role for the Sky. She accepted a qualifying offer, the Sky said. It's her second contract with the team after going undrafted out of UCLA in 2012 and playing solely overseas, most recently in Spain.

Gardner might take on a slightly larger role with so much of the roster elsewhere in 2023. The only remaining starter is Kahleah Copper and head coach/general manager has brought in guards Courtney Williams and Marina Mabrey at the guard position.

The Connecticut Sun announced Monday that Brionna Jones has signed a one-year deal with the team after they cored her following the trade of Jonquel Jones to the New York Liberty last month. Brionna Jones is a two-time All-Star and won the Sixth Player of the Year award last season.

The core designation allowed the Sun to offer her a supermax salary, although the terms of the deal were not disclosed. It is notable that Jones chose the one-year offer instead of a longer-term deal with the Sun. The WNBA prioritization clause, which came into effect this season, will be more impactful in 2024 when players are suspended if they missing the opening of training camp.

Jones is entering her seventh season in the league, all with the Sun, and had a career season in 2022, averaging 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game off the bench as the Sun advanced to the WNBA Finals.