Sky show interest in former Sparks coach Curt Miller.

The Sky are one of three WNBA franchises, along with the Sparks and Dream, with a coaching vacancy, but sources say that number could increase in the coming weeks.

Los Angeles Sparks head coach Curt Miller gestures in the first half of  a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis, Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Three years removed from their first WNBA title, the Sky find themselves in desperate need of a savior in the form of a marquee coach.

How did they end up here?

The simple answer: negligence.

In a league where championship-caliber coaching candidates are few and far between, the Sky never should have allowed former coach and general manager James Wade to entertain other opportunities. Their rushed coaching search after his midseason resignation last year now has them rebounding from the firing of Teresa Weatherspoon 11 months after her hire.

The only way for the Sky to successfully make it out of this precarious situation is by hiring a coach capable of revitalizing the franchise after its swift descent to the league’s depths.

Unlike last year, the Sky are taking a steady approach in their coaching search, but it is underway. According to league sources, they have shown interest in former Sparks coach Curt Miller with preliminary discussions. The Sparks fired Miller after two seasons, in which he went 25-55.

Miller is one of the most accomplished coaches in the WNBA with a 165-141 overall record, including six consecutive postseason appearances with the Sun. The two-time Coach of the Year led the Sun to the Finals twice, including in 2022, when they eliminated the Sky in the semifinals after going on an 18-0 run to close out Game 5.

The biggest question for the Sky: Who else might become available?

At this point, the pool of candidates with WNBA head-coaching experience is limited. The Sky are one of three franchises with a coaching vacancy — including the Sparks and Dream — but sources say that number could increase.

Stephanie White’s future in Connecticut is a domino with the kind of force to affect the entire coaching landscape. She’s under contract through the 2025 season, but that won’t prevent other teams from pursuing her.

White was named Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the Sun to a 27-13 record. This year, the Sun finished 28-12 before losing to the Lynx in the semifinals. Along with the Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve and the Aces’ Becky Hammon, White is the kind of coach a franchise can build a long-lasting championship pedigree around.

If she’s available, the Sky would likely make their best attempt at bringing her to Chicago. White was an assistant with the Sky in 2007-2010. Her only other WNBA coaching experience was as an assistant with the Fever in 2011-2014. She was promoted to head coach in 2015 and remained in the position through the 2016 season. White played four seasons for the Fever in 2000-2004.

Former Aces assistant Natalie Nakase, who had been considered for head-coaching jobs before, is already off the market after being named the Valkyries’ coach last week.

Considering the WNBA Draft lottery is Nov. 17 and the expansion draft is Dec. 6, there’s less pressure for the Sky to have a coach in place before the lottery. But having input on which players to protect for the expansion draft will be important to most coaching candidates.

The Sparks hired TurnkeyZRG — a search firm specializing in sports, media and entertainment — to assist in filling their vacancy. Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca is leading his team’s search.