MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has executed a sign-and-trade deal with Indiana, sending restricted free agent Devereaux Peters to the Fever in exchange for forward Natasha Howard.
Howard, originally drafted by the Indiana Fever with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft, comes to the Lynx with career averages of 5.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 14.4 minutes per game. Last season with the Fever, Howard played in 30 regular season games, averaging 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
In her rookie season, Howard played in all 34 games and made 15 starts for the Fever. She recorded 11 double-digit scoring games with two games of 20 or more points and finished her rookie campaign averaging 7.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
The Toledo, Ohio, native has appeared in 13 career playoff games with Indiana in 2014 and 2015, averaging 2.2 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. During the 2015 WNBA Finals against the Lynx, Howard averaged 3.8 points and 0.6 rebounds in five games, including scoring a playoff career high seven points in Game 4.
Prior to the WNBA, Howard attended Florida State University and finished her career as Florida State’s career leader in rebounds (1,047) and double-doubles (41), second in career points (1,811) and third in blocks (186). She finished her senior season with the Seminoles averaging 20.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 2.1 steals.
Peters, originally drafted by Minnesota with the third overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft, holds career averages of 4.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 125 regular season games. The 6-1 forward averaged 3.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists last season with the 2015 WNBA Champion Minnesota Lynx. Peter played 31 playoffs games in her four years with the Lynx, averaging 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds while earning two WNBA Championships.