Major League Pickleball Player Moves: The strategic trades and transactions in Major League Pickleball following the Washington DC event. It provides detailed insights into pre-waiver trades, Premier and Challenger waiver selections, and the resulting roster changes.
Pre-Waiver Trades: Teams Make Strategic Adjustments
Following the second event of the MLP season in Washington DC, the first waiver wire period for Major League Pickleball’s 2024 season took place. MLP provided the rules, waiver team order, and player availability requirements prior to the event. The waiver wire order, determined by points-per-game, allowed for any player, including those on the Injury Reserve list, to be available for selection. Additionally, teams can trade assets at any time, which played a significant role in the following transactions.
In the pre-waiver period, notable trades were made. The first saw DC trade Allyce Jones to the Bay Area Breakers for Vivian Glozman and cash. Glozman, who ranked 5th in MLP Atlanta, moved to a team well-positioned for promotion. Conversely, Jones was relegated to the Challenger division despite being DC’s highest-ranked player in the DC event. The second trade involved Texas trading Pablo Tellez to Brooklyn for Martin Emmrich and cash, followed by Texas trading its 7th overall Waiver wire pick to Utah in exchange for their 1st overall Waiver pick and cash. These moves positioned Texas to secure the top waiver pick, highlighting strategic maneuvering ahead of the waiver period.
Premier Waiver Selections: Texas Makes a Bold Move
In the Premier Waiver period, the Texas Ranchers selected Quang Duong with the first overall pick, dropping Martin Emmrich. Texas rated Duong highly, especially after his performance subbing in for the injured Alshon at the DC event. Despite his lower doubles ranking, Duong’s singles prowess and team energy were seen as valuable assets. Texas’ GM Ryan Dawidjan emphasized Duong’s potential to perform on the big stage. However, this move came with the risk of Duong becoming a free agent at the end of the year.
“Quang has shown he can perform on the big stage and is a top 5 singles competitor. He brings great team energy and drive and we’re looking forward to growing with him as a franchise that sets out to win.”-(ryan)
Interestingly, no other Premier teams made waiver moves. This could be attributed to the preference for acquiring Challenger players over undrafted Premier players, or teams opting to maintain stability rather than making reactionary changes based on recent performances.
Challenger Waiver Picks: Teams Shake Up Rosters
The Challenger Waiver period saw several teams making significant changes. California picked up Susannah Barr, replacing Emily Cedarquist. Chicago improved their roster by acquiring Megan Fudge, dropping Kelsey Grambeau. Miami added Bobbi Oshiro, replacing Rianna Valdes, while Florida picked up Yates Johnson, dropping Pat Smith. The Bay Area Breakers made a notable move by acquiring Jill Braverman and dropping Rachel Rettger, a gamble considering Rettger’s strong performance in Atlanta.
Other significant picks included SoCal picking up Yana Newell, replacing Christina Maddox, and California acquiring Brandon French, dropping DJ Young. Miami made another move by picking Noe Khlif, dropping Roscoe Bellamy. The Bay Area Breakers then picked up the just-dropped DJ Young, dropping Patrick Kawka. These moves indicate a clear strategy by Challenger teams to bolster their rosters with experienced and high-potential players ahead of the next MLP event.
The next MLP event, MLP Grand Rapids/Beer City Open Mid-season tourney, will feature all 22 teams, pitting some Premier and Challenger teams against each other. This event will provide a crucial test for the new rosters and could result in significant shifts in team standings and performance dynamics.
News in Brief: Major League Pickleball Player Moves
Following the second MLP event in Washington DC, notable trades and waiver picks occurred in Major League Pickleball’s 2024 season. Key trades included DC trading Allyce Jones to Bay Area Breakers for Vivian Glozman and cash, and Texas trading Pablo Tellez to Brooklyn for Martin Emmrich, then securing the first overall waiver pick by trading picks with Utah. In the Premier Waiver period, Texas selected Quang Duong, while no other Premier teams made moves. Challenger teams actively adjusted rosters, with significant picks like Susannah Barr, Megan Fudge, and DJ Young. The upcoming MLP Grand Rapids/Beer City Open will test these new rosters.
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