Storm's Burse may be sidelined

She is peculiarly part of Seattle's marketing campaign, "The Perfect Storm (New Season. New Energy. Bigger Game)." Instead of highlighting only incumbent starters Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, along with newcomers Swin Cash, Yolanda Griffith and Sheryl Swoopes and going with a "Fab Five"-type theme, Seattle decided upon a "Super Six" slogan for 2008.

After the Storm re-signed Janell Burse on April 13, she was curiously grouped with this quintet. Burse has never been selected as an All-Star in seven seasons while the others have each been picked multiple times.

Now, the 6-foot-5 center may not even be playing this year.

"I think we're probably going to make an announcement here coming up about her situation," said Storm coach and director of player personnel Brian Agler during Sunday's Fan Fest at KeyArena.

Agler said the team is talking with Burse's agent about her health. He mentioned that Burse has missed her past few games playing in the Czech Republic.

"She's gone through a series of injuries the past couple years -- whether it's been shoulder, foot, hand, a number of things," Agler said.

In 2007, Burse (8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) had her worst statistical season since being traded to Seattle before the 2004 championship season.

A partially torn labrum in her left shoulder was a big factor, as it kept her out of a few games in 2006 and cropped up again during training camp.

She was seriously considering offseason surgery, until deciding against it at the end of the season. In her defense, she had just undergone surgery to repair damaged ligaments in her wrist after spraining it July 24.

But it's a Jones fracture, which occurred during her 2006-07 offseason, that appears to be Burse's most pressing injury.

"She still has some lingering issues with her shoulder and she's had a constant Jones fracture. I don't know if it's totally healed yet," Agler said. "I think that's sort of been an issue here of late. So, we're not real clear on what the ending is going to be, but we will probably know here in the next couple days."

TIP-INS: Agler said Swoopes (neck strain) will "be back in there this week sometime," and perhaps as early as Tuesday. The three-time MVP suffered the injury midway through the first quarter of Friday's 70-68 pre-season loss in Sacramento and didn't return. ... Cash, Roneeka Hodges and Kelly Santos -- all of whom joined the team in Sacramento -- practiced in Seattle for the first time Sunday. Cash, a 6-1 forward who was traded from Detroit for Seattle's fourth overall pick in this year's WNBA draft, had a team-high 17 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists Friday. ... Seattle (0-2) will be in town for the next 16 days before its next road game (May 22 at reigning WNBA champion Phoenix). The Storm hosts Indiana at 7 p.m. Saturday in its final preseason game and opens its regular season May 17 at home versus Chicago.