Chaos in the WNBA: A Transformative Offseason
46 days of intense activity are approaching in the WNBA, marking a crucial offseason. From now until the start of the 30th season on May 8th, the league will face significant challenges and exciting opportunities.
Two expansion teams are preparing to build their rosters, more than 100 free agents, including former MVPs like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, will define their futures, and new stars will be selected in the college draft.
After eight marathon days of negotiations, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) have reached a new collective agreement. This agreement, described as “transformative,” promises to shape women’s basketball in the coming generations.
Despite months of negotiations, commissioner Cathy Englebert assured that the start date announced in February will not be affected. Training camps will begin on April 19, with preseason games starting on April 25.
However, before the start of the season, the WNBA will have to complete one of the most important preseasons in its history, including an expansion draft and a massive free agency period.
These events, scheduled between April 1st and 13th before training camps begin, promise a lot of activity.Expansion Draft
Both Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are still awaiting guidelines on how the expansion draft, scheduled for April 6, will unfold. This process, similar to the one carried out by the Golden State Valkyries in December 2024, will allow existing teams to protect a group of players, presumably five. The new teams will alternately select unprotected players until they complete their 12-player rosters.
The draft will take place from April 1st to 5th, with a coin toss to determine which team will select first. The team that does not pick first in the expansion draft will get the sixth pick in the college draft, while the other will get the seventh.
A key aspect is how teams will manage the selection of free agents, as most are unrestricted, which could limit the number of available players.Free Agency
Free agency will begin the day after the expansion draft. From April 7-8, teams can make qualifying offers to restricted, reserved, or eligible players. Official negotiations will begin on April 9, and players can sign agreements starting April 12.
This free agency period is expected to be historic, with more than 100 players available, including former MVPs and league mainstays like Allisha Gray and Kahleah Copper.
The players will benefit from a significant salary increase, with an initial salary cap of $7 million and a supermax of $1.4 million. The average salary will be around $600,000, with a minimum salary exceeding $300,000.
Some executives and agents believe that the reduced deadline could lead to fewer short-term movements and agreements, but others anticipate a lot of activity due to the significant investment in the players.University Draft
The WNBA draft, scheduled for April 13 in New York, will be the last step before training camps. This year, the draft will be held in the midst of free agency, which will force teams to analyze the NCAA tournament while negotiating with their free agency targets and preparing for camps.
The draft will have three rounds and a total of 45 selections due to the incorporation of Toronto and Portland. Under the new agreement, teams must have 12 players on the roster and can have two additional spots for developing players.
Dallas Wings have the first pick for the second consecutive year, and they are expected to select Azzi Fudd from UConn.Training Camp
Many coaches will not know who makes up their rosters until a week before the start of training camp, or even less, as free agency ends on April 20th.
With training camps opening on April 19, players will have approximately one week before games begin and almost two weeks before the season tips off on May 8. After a winter of inactivity, it will be a very intense six-week period for everyone involved in the WNBA.
