Jade Melbourne Is Coming Home to the Storm, and Seattle's Backcourt Just Got Deeper
The Seattle Storm just made a move that feels like coming full circle. On Sunday, the team announced they've brought back Jade Melbourne, the 23-year-old Australian point guard who spent the last two seasons with the Washington Mystics. According to ESPN's Alexa Philippou, Melbourne signed a one-year deal worth $500,000 to rejoin the green and gold.
If this name sounds familiar, it should. The Storm originally drafted Melbourne in the third round back in 2022 when she was just 19 years old. She stayed home for a year before joining Seattle in 2023, where she appeared in 29 games as a rookie. That season, she averaged 2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 39.1% from the field and 15% from three.
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Here's where it gets interesting. Before the 2024 season kicked off, Seattle made the decision to trade Melbourne to Washington in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. Over the past two seasons with the Mystics, she's grown her game significantly. Melbourne averaged 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists while starting 12 of her 80 games for Washington. She's got real experience now, and the Storm are banking on that development.
Filling a Backcourt Need
This signing makes strategic sense for Seattle's roster construction. Melbourne slides into a backcourt that now includes newcomer Natisha Hiedeman and holdover Zia Cooke. The team clearly sees her as depth that can contribute right away, and given how she's developed since leaving, she's got to feel like a steal at that price point.
It looks like one of the Storm's final significant moves in free agency this offseason, but it's a solid one. Melbourne gets to come back to the Emerald City with more experience under her belt, and Seattle gets a point guard who knows the system. That's the kind of move that can pay dividends as the season develops.
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