Mohegan - Anne Donovan paused Tuesday afternoon to answer a question about the urgency of next summer, just as the background music at Hash House A Go Go, the Mohegan Sun eatery where the pancakes are bigger than most rear tires, changed to Johnny Nash.

Coincidence? Perhaps. But Donovan particularly liked the part in "I Can See Clearly Now" about the bright, bright, bright sun-shiny day. Perhaps the first sign that fate, finally, has something redemptive in mind for the star-crossed Connecticut Sun.

Donovan, natty with new glasses, had lunch with the media, affably talking about this and that, relaxed and optimistic about only the most important summer in the history of the franchise. She knows - they all know - if things aren't better, Johnny Nash gets replaced by David Bowie: ch-ch-ch-changes.

This is the final year of Donovan's contract. This is also the last summer for Mitchell Etess as the casino's CEO and the team's president. Etess announced a plan recently to "transition toward retirement," leaving him here for this season but perhaps not beyond. It is possible, but still unclear, whether he'll retain a role with the team in the future.

Hence, what the Sun look like moving forward will hinge on what happens come the first weekend in June and beyond. If the Sun follow a familiar storyline in sports, their wisdom from the pain of youth should mean more victories.

"I was brought here to win a championship my first year and then everything changed," Donovan said. "But is Year Three different from Year One? Probably not.

"We'll be more experienced. Look how many young players we had on the floor last year. In the WNBA, experience is king. We knew when we got younger with (Kelsey) Bone in the Tina (Charles) trade and three picks, we knew we'd be young. We'll be better because we're more experienced."

They'd be better than that if European star Alba Torrens decides to cross the pond. Torrens, who many Sun fans might think is the female Claude Rains, really does exist. The Sun need her athleticism at the wing position more than a lung. Will she come? It's doubtful she would until the conclusion of the European Women's Championships June 28. The Sun season begins the first weekend in June, meaning that she would miss a handful of games, if she decides to dabble in Uncasville.

"Alba is very familiar with all of our faces and she's very appreciative everyone in Connecticut is waiting for her," Donovan said. "We know Alba. She's so committed to her national team (in Spain). She's built it to the best in Europe and her commitment level to that is what we're up against.

"She's moved from playing (in the winter) in Turkey to Ekaterinburg (Russia) and playing with (Diana) Taurasi. I think Diana is going to help us there. She'll continue to pique (Torrens') interest in the WNBA."

Donovan and team vice president and general manager Chris Sienko have no problem if Torrens arrives late. Donovan: "We need to get her here and get her foot in the door and get her a taste of it."

Meanwhile, the Sun have the third and fourth picks in what is perceived as a weak WNBA Draft. Might one of those picks be Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, UConn's enigmatic, if not deadly, shooter?

Mosqueda-Lewis fulfills what Donovan said Tuesday is her team's greatest need: a shooter. But will her body allow her to play perimeter defense in a hyper-athletic league? Donovan's complete answer:

"Probably every team needs a shooter. It's just something you can't find very often, a drop-dead, fill-it-up, long distance shooter," she said. "It's going to be tough (because of) who she has to guard at that position. You can look at one end of the floor (offense), but you've got to go to the other end. It's not UConn when you get to the WNBA. You're playing with and against the best players in the world. You have to take that into consideration.

"Look at Allie Quigley, who was nothing but a shooter at DePaul. She's carved out a niche for herself, but it's been a slow go. She went overseas and made herself a better player. Mosqueda-Lewis is going to need to make some changes. It's a physical, grueling, brutal schedule and physical games. So getting your body in the best possible shape is important.

"There are some players that just don't have the athletic, slim down build," she said. "The first player that comes to mind is Danielle Adams (of San Antonio) who played very well at (Texas) A&M and since. She never changed her body type. It can be done. The trick for Mosqueda-Lewis is the guard spot. Playing the perimeter, can she keep up with people? That'll be the question. The positive is the kid can shoot the rock like nobody else I've ever seen. Her range and her accuracy make her a great asset. It's how she translates at the other end of the floor."

All of which makes Mosqueda-Lewis a fascinating watch. Otherwise, Donovan said that the injuries to Allie Hightower, Chelsea Gray and Katie Douglas are healing, while Bone and Chiney Ogwumike are doing well overseas. Now it's about "research to be done," in Donovan's words.

Research leading to the most important summer in Sun history.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

Twitter: @BCgenius