Liberty eager to run it back in 2024

Still desperately seeking their first WNBA title, the New York Liberty know the 2023 Finals got away from them, watching helplessly as the Las Vegas Aces celebrated their second straight championship at Downtown’s Barclays Center last week.

“It’s still a little hard. I suppose it stings a lot,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello ceded after last Wednesday’s Game 4 loss on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush. “We grew a lot as a team and we’ll evaluate as we move forward.

“The more time we spend together, the more chemistry we get and more feel for each other,” she added. “We’ll have the offseason to prepare and we’ll review this first, and we’ll worry about next season then.”

Then is now, according to New York general manager Jonathan Kolb, who has already intimated that reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart will be back in the mix in 2024 as a core player, or what is most commonly referred to as a franchise tag.

Stewart, who set the league’s all-time single-season scoring record, put up at least 40 points four times and grabbed her second MVP in her first year here in Brooklyn, will not get to unrestricted free agency.

“It’s my first time being cored. Not surprising,” Stewart said in the aftermath of her first Finals loss in three tries. “I’m excited for what we’re doing here in New York and with the Liberty. … I’m looking forward to it for many years to come.”

Stewart came here in the offseason with fellow free agent Courtney Vandersloot.

Kolb had already landed 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones from Connecticut in a three-team swap with Dallas, giving the Liberty instant credibility as a title contender.

Dubbed one of the league’s “Super Teams”, along with Vegas, the Liberty posted the most wins in franchise history,…