Atlas LC trade Ryan Brown to Waterdogs LC

The Premier Lacrosse League deals aren’t stopping, as the league announced Atlas LC has traded Ryan Brown to Waterdogs LC in exchange for the #11 pick in the 2020 PLL College Draft. It was the second straight day that a big name player was dealt and it once again involved Coach Ben Rubeor and the Atlas.

The trade is possibly the least lopsided we’ve seen so far, especially considering how deep the 2021 PLL College Draft is. While it’s hard to imagine why Coach Ben Rubeor would want to trade a player of Brown’s caliber, his plethora of draft picks in the PLL Entry Draft and PLL College Draft allow him to replace Brown with a similarly skilled shooter like Mac O’Keefe, or go in a different direction and add an attackman with a different skillset like Randy Staats or Dan Bucaro in the PLL Entry Draft. Coach Ben Rubeor now holds the first, eighth, 10th, 11th, 17th and 26th overall picks in the 2021 PLL College Draft and will be able to further build a young, talented team that can compete this summer and well into the future.

On the flipside, Coach Andy Copelan gets a massive upgrade at the righty wing position by adding arguably the most lethal shooter in pro lacrosse. The move was particularly needed, given Coach Copelan’s decision (and the correct decision in my opinion) to leave Ryan Drenner unprotected. While the general consensus was that the Waterdogs would draft an offensive threat at #4 in the PLL Entry Draft, the trade makes their plan a bit less clear. The Dogs could still upgrade on attack and take a player like Randy Staats in the first round, but now they could just as easily opt to draft Brodie Merrill’s potential replacement and select Ben Randall or Liam Byrnes (if either pole makes it to #4).

What are your thoughts on the trade between the Atlas and Waterdogs? Do you think a change of scenery will help Ryan Brown bounce back from a below average 2020? Let us know in the comments or on social media.