Rachel: Kiki Rice drops twenty-eight in a losing effort. Isabelle Harrison grabs ten boards. And Julie Allemand dishes five assists, all while half the roster is on the injury report. It was a gritty finish to a tough season for the Toronto Tempo against the Connecticut Sun, and now it’s time to look ahead.
Dave: It wasn’t just about the stats, Rachel. It was about resilience. Ten players out. A franchise moving cities. And still, those three showed up. Today, we’re opening the mailbag to answer your questions about what comes next for Toronto.
Rachel: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Rachel, alongside Dave. We are your daily home for everything Toronto Tempo. Before we dive into your emails, here is your roadmap for today: First, we’ll tackle the big question—is the core trio actually the future? Second, we’ll discuss the roster cuts and who might be leaving. And third, we’ll wrap up with a lightning round of tactical predictions for next season.
Dave: Exactly. And if you missed our last few days, we’ve been deep in the weeds on this exact topic. On Tuesday, we analyzed the roster challenges following that massive ten-player injury list. By Wednesday, we were looking at the 11-33 record and predicting that retaining Kiki Rice, Julie Allemand, and Isabelle Harrison as the permanent core is the only logical path forward.
Rachel: And yesterday, we connected that strategy directly to the final game in Connecticut. The Sun beat us 95-81, but they were playing their final game there before moving to Houston. It felt like an era ending. But for us, it’s just the start of the offseason. Let’s get into your questions.
Rachel: Our first question comes from Sarah from Rochester. She asks: 'With ten players out last night, including Brittney Griner and Rayah Marshall, how do we even evaluate the team right now? Is it fair to say the core trio carried the entire load?' Dave, you’ve been talking about this reliance all week.
Dave: It’s not just fair, Sarah; it’s the reality of the data. When you look at the box score from that September 24th game, Kiki Rice had 28 points. Isabelle Harrison had 10 rebounds. Julie Allemand had 5 assists. That’s the heartbeat of the team when the depth chart collapses. It highlights both their value and our fragility.
Rachel: But does that fragility scare you? If we lose one of them to injury next year, do we collapse again? Or is the plan to build around them differently?
Dave: That’s the key. We can’t rely on them to carry *every* minute. Next season, the goal isn’t just retention; it’s protection. We need better spacing and more ball movement so Kiki doesn’t have to create every shot alone. Julie needs more help off the dribble. Isabelle needs better rim protection so she isn’t isolated constantly.
Rachel: So, the message is: keep the stars, but fix the system. Our next question comes from @RaptorsFan99. He asks: 'The Sun moved to Houston. Does that change anything for Toronto’s schedule or rivalry?' It seems like a huge shift for the league.
Dave: Geographically, yes. But competitively? Not really. The Sun were tough regardless of where they played. They won 95-81 last time out. Hailey Van Lith had 8 assists and 9 rebounds. Ashlon Jackson scored 18. Those are elite numbers. Toronto needs to learn from that level of execution. Moving to Houston makes travel harder for us, sure, but it doesn’t make them easier to beat.
Rachel: Fair point. The talent gap remains. Here is Marcus in Denver asking: 'Why did the Tempo struggle so much on the road? You went into Chicago and lost 97-85. Gabriela Jaquez and Sydney Taylor both had 18 points. What went wrong defensively?' This feels like a recurring theme.
Dave: It’s a recurring theme because the defensive rotations were sloppy. Against Chicago, Kamilla Cardoso added 17 points inside. When you’re missing Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Saniya Rivers, you don’t have the size to contest shots in the paint. The Tempo got pushed around. We allowed easy looks near the rim because we couldn’t switch effectively or communicate rotations fast enough.
Rachel: So, it’s a combination of injuries and poor rotation communication. One more question for this segment from Lisa in Boston. She wants to know: 'Is 22 wins actually realistic? With an 11-33 record, jumping to 22 seems like a massive leap. Are fans being too optimistic?'
Dave: It is a leap, but it’s grounded in math. If health improves—and we assume the core trio stays healthy—that’s +11 wins right there from pure availability. Plus, if we execute aggressively on roster cuts and add two solid role players who understand spacing, we close the gap in close games. Last year, many losses were by single digits. Tighten up the pick-and-roll defense, and those become wins.
Rachel: Okay, so health is the variable. If everyone stays on the floor, 22 is possible. But let’s talk about the roster itself. Who gets cut? Who stays? This brings us to Segment Two: Roster Battles and Depth Chart Questions.
Rachel: First up, from Kevin in Seattle. He asks: 'We mentioned Kennedy Burke and Marina Mabrey were out. Do you think either of them has a future with the Tempo, or should management look elsewhere entirely?' There’s been talk about veteran presence.
Dave: Veteran presence is good, but fit is better. Kennedy Burke is a shooter. If she can’t get open looks because the offense is stagnant, she’s not helping. Marina Mabrey provides scoring, but we already have Kiki Rice doing that. Unless they offer something distinct—like elite playmaking or lockdown defense—I’d expect some movement here.
Rachel: What about Isabelle Harrison? She had 10 rebounds last night. Is she the definitive starting center, or do we need to look outside for a stretch big?
Dave: Isabelle is the anchor. Her rebounding numbers are consistent. The issue is her mobility in space. If we want to move faster, we might need a big who can pop out to the three-point line. But for now, she’s the best option we have. Retaining her is non-negotiable.
Rachel: Alright, here is a tough one from @HoopsHeadquarters. They ask: 'If you could only sign one free agent to complement the core trio, who would it be? And what position would they play?' This is the critical decision for the front office.
Dave: I’d take a point guard. Someone who can relieve pressure on Julie Allemand. Julie had 5 assists last night, which is great, but she shouldn’t be the primary creator every night. We need another ball-handler who can run the pick-and-roll effectively and make quick decisions. That’s the missing piece.
Rachel: A secondary creator. Makes sense. One last question for this segment from Amanda in Vancouver. She wonders: 'Will the Tempo try to trade for anyone, or are we strictly buyers in the draft?' Given the 11-33 record, do we have any leverage?
Dave: Leverage is low, but not zero. Trading for immediate help usually costs young assets. Since we’re rebuilding around Kiki, Julie, and Isabelle, we probably won’t trade away future picks. Instead, we’ll focus on the draft and free agency. We need youth and energy to match the skill of our core.
Rachel: So, no major trades. Just smart additions. Now, before we head to our final segment, I want to take a quick moment with you. If you found value in our breakdown of the Tempo’s tactical needs today—if learning about those defensive rotations helped you see the game differently—please consider supporting the show. It helps keep us free and daily. Check the link in the episode description. Thanks for listening.
Rachel: Welcome back. Segment Three: Fun Hypotheticals and Lightning Round. Let’s start with a wild one from Tyler in Orlando. He asks: 'If Kiki Rice could shoot 50% from three for a whole season, how many wins would that add?' Let’s play along.
Dave: Oh, that’s a monster stat line. If Kiki shoots 50% from deep consistently, defenses have to guard her full court. That opens up driving lanes for Julie. I’d say that adds at least four or five wins. Shot selection efficiency changes everything.
Rachel: Four or five wins. Okay, let’s go faster now. Lightning round. First question: Who is the most underrated player on the current roster?
Dave: Julie Allemand. People see the assists, but her ability to read defenses and find the open man under pressure is elite. She runs the offense when Kiki is double-teamed.
Rachel: Agreed. Next: What is the biggest weakness the Tempo must address in the offseason?
Dave: Bench depth. When the starters rest, the drop-off is steep. We saw that against Chicago. We need reliable minutes from second-unit players.
Rachel: Last question from @TempoTactics. Final prediction for the season opener next year. Will the Tempo win their first game?
Dave: Yes. With the core intact and better preparation, I see them taking care of business early. Momentum matters.
Rachel: There you have it. From the final game in Connecticut to the future of the core trio. We’ve talked about Kiki, Julie, and Isabelle. We’ve talked about 22 wins. And we’ve talked about fixing the defense.
Dave: It’s going to be a busy offseason. But if we stick to the plan—retain the core, improve the spacing, and protect our players—we can turn things around.
Rachel: Thanks for joining us on the Beatline Podcast Network. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Share this episode with a fellow Tempo fan. Let’s keep the conversation going.
Dave: See you next time. Go Tempo.