2025 WNBA Off-Season | Page 8 | The Boneyard

2025 WNBA Off-Season

NycUcWbbFan said:
This is just to amplify your point as I am not sure some people fully grasp the import of what you are saying.

Here is an interview with Alex Bazzell (Unrivaled president and Napheesa’s husband, a top basketball trainer (website)):

Women’s basketball revolutionized: How Unrivaled will change everything | SB Nation

Imagine someone else pays top players for WNBA offseason player development in the U.S. for two months overseen by some of the top player development professionals within a “one-roof” arrangement.
  • And the players who join Unrivaled view the WNBA as their marquee job that they are preparing for — a job that currently doesn’t pay well;
  • And the players who join Unrivaled benefit from “player narratives” (Turner Sports/ Unrivaled initiative) that make them more marketable (for endorsement income), which in turn garners women’s professional basketball more eyeballs in the WNBA’s offseason, which in turn the WNBA can benefit from.
It is thus bewildering that the WNBA/ NBA is hostile to any symbiotic rising tide that is not of their (pitiful) handiwork.
Expand ...
I believe that they're scared of the specter of the success of Unrivaled's business/compensation model. It's just something that they can't abide in the W.
 
There is a separate thread for Unrivaled but there is none for Athletes Unlimited (see Instagram here).

Quick update: Over half the roster spots (21 of the 40) have been announced (see website here). The list includes 19 who played in the WNBA this past season.

Note 1: There could be changes (e.g. Kaitlyn Chen subsequently signed overseas contract. Thread here).
Note 2: Players highlighted in red didn't play in WNBA past season.

Returning Players
  1. Odyssey Sims
  2. Jaylyn Sherrod
  3. Theresa Plaisance
  4. Kia Nurse
  5. Isabelle Harrison
  6. Sydney Colson
  7. Alysha Clark
  8. Lexie Brown
New Players (Last Offseason)
  1. Natasha Mack (Turkey)
  2. Brianna Turner (Australia)
  3. Kiah Stokes (Turkey)
  4. NaLyssa Smith (China)
  5. Jacy Sheldon (Ohio State - Director of Player Development)
  6. Te-Hina Paopao (College)
  7. Aaliyah Nye (College)
  8. Aneesah Morrow (College)
  9. Deja Kelly (College)
  10. Bree Hall (College)
  11. Kaitlyn Chen (College)
  12. Tina Charles (Turkey)
  13. Ariel Atkins (Turkey)
 
Last edited:
maccca3232 said:
There is a separate thread for Unrivaled but there is none for Athletes Unlimited (see Instagram here).

Quick update: Over half the roster spots (21 of the 40) have been announced (see website here). The list includes 19 who played in the WNBA this past season.

Note 1: There could be changes (e.g. Kaitlyn Chen subsequently signed overseas contract. Thread here).
Note 2: Players highlighted in red didn't play in WNBA past season.

Returning Players
  1. Odyssey Sims
  2. Jaylyn Sherrod
  3. Theresa Plaisance
  4. Kia Nurse
  5. Isabelle Harrison
  6. Sydney Colson
  7. Alysha Clark
  8. Lexie Brown
New Players (Last Offseason)
  1. Natasha Mack (Turkey)
  2. Brianna Turner (Australia)
  3. Kiah Stokes (Turkey)
  4. NaLyssa Smith (China)
  5. Jacy Sheldon (Ohio State - Director of Player Development)
  6. Te-Hina Paopao (College)
  7. Aaliyah Nye (College)
  8. Aneesah Morrow (College)
  9. Deja Kelly (College)
  10. Bree Hall (College)
  11. Kaitlyn Chen (College)
  12. Tina Charles (Turkey)
  13. Ariel Atkins (Turkey)
Expand ...
Speaking of Athletes Unlimited: does anyone know what us their salary range, number of games, length and dates of season and cities/venues.
 
MilfordHusky said:
Who would be a good option for Seattle? It seems like a good job with good talent, good fan base, good ownership, good arena, good city.
Expand ...
Briann January. A great defensive player, and I expect the reason that Indiana played the kind of defense that kept them in most games. Though, I never heard much mention of that from White. Defense still wins the big games, and I think the present Seattle roster contains players who are already pretty good defenders individually( one, of course, whom we're quite familiar with). But team defense has got to be taught. Briann did play there one season.
 
Last edited:
All power to Coach Becky Hammon and the Las Vegas Aces players for going from .500 to a four-game sweep of the WNBA championship. Now, it's time to see what President Nikki Vargas and the Aces front office can do to bring back enough of the core players to make a try for four championships in five years. Of the Ace's 11 players, only rookie Aaliyah Nye and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus are set to return. The others:
  • Restricted Free Agents: Kiersten Bell, NaLyssa Smith
  • Unrestricted Free Agents: A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Kiah Stokes, Megan Gustafson, Dana Evans.

Now, a lot of teams are losing a number of players, but considering how important Wilson, Young, Gray and Loyd have been down the stretch, this will be really interesting. (And, Evans and Gustafson actually did enough right to get some regular minutes, which is saying something for Hammon.)

Stay tuned.
 
Dillon77 said:
All power to Coach Becky Hammon and the Las Vegas Aces players for going from .500 to a four-game sweep of the WNBA championship. Now, it's time to see what President Nikki Vargas and the Aces front office can do to bring back enough of the core players to make a try for four championships in five years. Of the Ace's 11 players, only rookie Aaliyah Nye and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus are set to return. The others:
  • Restricted Free Agents: Kiersten Bell, NaLyssa Smith
  • Unrestricted Free Agents: A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Kiah Stokes, Megan Gustafson, Dana Evans.

Now, a lot of teams are losing a number of players, but considering how important Wilson, Young, Gray and Loyd have been down the stretch, this will be really interesting. (And, Evans and Gustafson actually did enough right to get some regular minutes, which is saying something for Hammon.)

Stay tuned.
Expand ...
A’ja won’t go anywhere and IDT Jackie or Chelsea will either. I’d pencil in Loyd too. Dana might have also found a home. Of the rest, i think there could be some upgrades.
 
TC22 said:
A’ja won’t go anywhere and IDT Jackie or Chelsea will either. I’d pencil in Loyd too. Dana might have also found a home. Of the rest, i think there could be some upgrades.
Expand ...
I think the new CBA and higher cap could create incentives that could end up causing A’ja to leave if somebody wants to pay big bucks. Speculative I admit.
 
TC22 said:
A’ja won’t go anywhere and IDT Jackie or Chelsea will either. I’d pencil in Loyd too. Dana might have also found a home. Of the rest, i think there could be some upgrades.
Expand ...
I agree with the likelihood of retaining the top 3, but think beyond that is almost impossible to predict. Loyd doesn't deserve anything close to a max contract but may still expect one. As for the rest of the roster as a desired destination and most of the league free agents, Vegas could improve on the rest of their rotation.

While the new numbers are highly in doubt, I suspect the strategies for true contenders will be the same. Max salaries for maybe the top 3 or so, relative bargains for the next 5 at between max and minimum, and then the remaining players at min or rookie contracts.

Free agency often works to the advantage of contenders and preferred destinations. Veteran players particularly near the end of their careers may ring chase by accepting a lessor role and pay for a likely champion. In essence the contenders get more for their free agent dollars than the teams near the bottom. At the other end bottom teams may have to overpay for the players they ultimately get. What really hurts a team's chances are a wasted max salary with a player not producing, or a player getting significantly more than the minimum that is not in the rotation.

With so many free agents for the next season, I expect there may be some combo deals, where some of the top free agents that would like to play with each other pitch themselves as a package, like Lebron James, Wade, and Bosh to Miami in the NBA. If I was dreaming as an Aces fan, maybe ex Uconn players and Unrivaled founders Napheesa Collier and Brianna Stewart sign near max deals with Vegas as a combo, Wilson and Young also at or near max, Gray resigning for significantly less and everybody else near minimum.

If they had a starting unit like that, I think they could fill the rest of the roster with players near the minimum that would be willing to take 20-30% less than their market value to chase a ring, and because of the off-court monetary possibilities with a high profile team. While that scenario is a big longshot, I fully expect some partnering among free agents that will immediately change the prospects of some team.
 
oldhusky said:
I agree with the likelihood of retaining the top 3, but think beyond that is almost impossible to predict. Loyd doesn't deserve anything close to a max contract but may still expect one. As for the rest of the roster as a desired destination and most of the league free agents, Vegas could improve on the rest of their rotation.

While the new numbers are highly in doubt, I suspect the strategies for true contenders will be the same. Max salaries for maybe the top 3 or so, relative bargains for the next 5 at between max and minimum, and then the remaining players at min or rookie contracts.

Free agency often works to the advantage of contenders and preferred destinations. Veteran players particularly near the end of their careers may ring chase by accepting a lessor role and pay for a likely champion. In essence the contenders get more for their free agent dollars than the teams near the bottom. At the other end bottom teams may have to overpay for the players they ultimately get. What really hurts a team's chances are a wasted max salary with a player not producing, or a player getting significantly more than the minimum that is not in the rotation.

With so many free agents for the next season, I expect there may be some combo deals, where some of the top free agents that would like to play with each other pitch themselves as a package, like Lebron James, Wade, and Bosh to Miami in the NBA. If I was dreaming as an Aces fan, maybe ex Uconn players and Unrivaled founders Napheesa Collier and Brianna Stewart sign near max deals with Vegas as a combo, Wilson and Young also at or near max, Gray resigning for significantly less and everybody else near minimum.

If they had a starting unit like that, I think they could fill the rest of the roster with players near the minimum that would be willing to take 20-30% less than their market value to chase a ring, and because of the off-court monetary possibilities with a high profile team. While that scenario is a big longshot, I fully expect some partnering among free agents that will immediately change the prospects of some team.
Expand ...
Two things.

First: What you say is the strategy for most teams and this, along with the salary cap not increasing commensurately, has led to the “tweener” problem (mid-career players being priced-out of rosters). Players are aware of this problem and are looking at CBA solutions (more roster spots per team, salary cap increasing commensurately, etc.).

Second: Having two expansion drafts in a year with 100 free agents and the wacky coring rules of the current CBA has lead to wacky predicaments:
  • Las Vegas, and several top teams with great cores, have many top players that are not max-cored;
  • Expansion teams can pluck a great top non-max-cored player (e.g. Jackie Young) because Las Vegas can only protect one top player by coring her (e.g. A’ja Wilson);
  • A list of some of the top teams with similar predicaments is here;
  • As previously mentioned, this year’s wacky situation will lead to expansion teams having slim pickings, i.e. teams have barely enough players to protect and expansion teams can only pick one UFA total in the expansion draft.
 
Richard Cohen of Her Hoops Stats examines where the Los Angeles Sparks are in this offseason;
Key personnel notes:

Free agents:
  • Unrestricted: Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Plum, Azurá Stevens, Emma Cannon
  • Restricted: Julie Allemand
  • Reserved: Rae Burrell, Julie Vanloo, Alissa Pili

Under contract: Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sania Feagin

Full Write-Up:
herhoopstats.substack.com

2025-26 WNBA Offseason Guides: Los Angeles Sparks

Our series of team-by-team offseason guides reaches Los Angeles, and looks at where the Sparks stand heading towards 2026
herhoopstats.substack.com herhoopstats.substack.com
 
Cohen continues his examination of West/Left Coast teams with his guide to the offseason on the Golden State Valkyries.
@TheFarmFan might be particularly interested (but of course!).
Key personnel notes:

Free agents:
  • Unrestricted free agents: Tiffany Hayes, Kayla Thornton, Monique Billings, Temi Fágbénlé (Given their age, Cohen thinks Golden State might pass on Hayes and/or Thornton, with the latter having a better chance of staying.)
  • Restricted free agents: Veronica Burton, Cecilia Zandalasini
  • Reserved: Janelle Salaün, Laeticia Amihere, Kaitlyn Chen, Iliana Rupert

Under contract: Carla Leite, Kate Martin

Full Write-Up for details:
herhoopstats.substack.com

2025-26 WNBA Offseason Guides: Golden State Valkyries

Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats newsletter.
herhoopstats.substack.com herhoopstats.substack.com
 
Dillon77 said:
Richard Cohen of Her Hoops Stats examines where the Los Angeles Sparks are in this offseason;
Key personnel notes:

Free agents:
  • Unrestricted: Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Plum, Azurá Stevens, Emma Cannon
  • Restricted: Julie Allemand
  • Reserved: Rae Burrell, Julie Vanloo, Alissa Pili

Under contract: Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sania Feagin

Full Write-Up:
herhoopstats.substack.com

2025-26 WNBA Offseason Guides: Los Angeles Sparks

Our series of team-by-team offseason guides reaches Los Angeles, and looks at where the Sparks stand heading towards 2026
herhoopstats.substack.com herhoopstats.substack.com
Expand ...
Having Brink and Jackson under contract is a plus.
 
Sharing this article from the Ringer that looks to have done a good job outlining the complexities of the WNBA CBA contract negotiation. I've gotten through a third and have found it enlightening.

www.theringer.com

The WNBA’s Future Is on the Clock

It’s a make-or-break offseason for the WNBA. Is the league headed for a lockout? Or will the players get the changes they’re demanding?
www.theringer.com
 
Richard Cohen completes his West/Left Coast Assessment of the WNBA Teams with a Guide to the Seattle Storm

The major decision is to decide if the organization wants to try to run it back with key veterans (Ogwunike, Diggins, etc.) or focus on a team built around youth (Malonga, Horston, etc.). Key personnel notes:

Free agents:
  • Uncoreable unrestricted free agentsSkylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike
  • Unrestricted Free Agents: Gabby Williams, Brittney Sykes, Ezi Magbegor, Katie Lou Samuelson, Erica Wheeler, Tiffany Mitchell
  • Reserved: Mackenzie Holmes, Zia Cooke

Under contract: Lexie Brown, Dominique Malonga, Jordan Horston, Nika Mühl
(Horston and Mühl’s deals are still in place after being suspended for 2025)

2026 draft picks: Seattle gave up their own 2026 first-round pick in the deadline trade to acquire Brittney Sykes but still hold two other 2026 first-rounders anyway. They will also be picking right at the top of the second round, thanks to acquiring Dallas’s pick in the midseason Li Yueru trade. The Storm also still have their own third-rounder. (more detail in the linked piece below.)


herhoopstats.substack.com

2025-26 WNBA Offseason Guides: Seattle Storm

Our breakdowns of where WNBA teams stand heading into 2026 reach the Storm, who have significant decisions to make before next season
herhoopstats.substack.com herhoopstats.substack.com
 
cancontent said:
This explains some of the chatter on X I've been seeing complaining about the ratio of coaches.
Expand ...
It also sends a concerning note about, well, sloppiness and/or not paying attention in the front office, given some of the other missteps this author cites. As my first football coach once said, "...gotta block or tackle right to make a play work."
 
Dillon77 said:
It also sends a concerning note about, well, sloppiness and/or not paying attention in the front office, given some of the other missteps this author cites. As my first football coach once said, "...gotta block or tackle right to make a play work."
Expand ...
Their start hasn't been the most auspicious. Didn't they have a hiccup with the President role too?
 
Here are two articles on the WNBA CBA negotiations:
State of Play:
  • The players’ association submitted its proposal binder in February;
  • The league countered with its proposal binder around the All Star Game in July and in August;
  • Currently (from August), the two sides agree on only two articles (retirement benefits and family planning) out of reportedly 30+;
  • Pre-meditated lollygagging on one side? Unmindful of the rather congested offseason?
The root of the contention:
&1 This smells like an ownership dividend (alternatively, an equity and an asset-backed security) in perpetuity, where owners (e.g. the 16% private investors) not only benefit from increased valuations but also from a stream of payments. The 58% owners (NBA+private investors) don’t necessarily have a burning direct urge to reinvest in the WNBA.

&2 Natasha Cloud was more direct in clamoring for a change in types of owners. Maybe she had the change in ownership of the NY Liberty from James Dolan to the Tsai’s (and also the Aces’ Mark Davis) in mind.
 
cancontent said:
Their start hasn't been the most auspicious. Didn't they have a hiccup with the President role too?
Expand ...
I'll just put it out there: as someone raised in Oregon (the eastern, dry part), the "Fire" feels like the wrong vibe given the recent history of devastating fires. Other than poaching Vanja, which was a smart move, it seems like the missteps have continued apace.
 
TheFarmFan said:
I'll just put it out there: as someone raised in Oregon (the eastern, dry part), the "Fire" feels like the wrong vibe given the recent history of devastating fires. Other than poaching Vanja, which was a smart move, it seems like the missteps have continued apace.
Expand ...

I haven't been to Portland in a decade or so, but used to get out there often enough. I remember on a clear day just being able to see the mountains clearly. Why not something like "Cascade," which is one of my favorite mountain range names.

While "Stumptown" is a cool nickname and was a fun show, don't think "Stumps" in the headline would do the trick. 😉
 
TheFarmFan said:
I'll just put it out there: as someone raised in Oregon (the eastern, dry part), the "Fire" feels like the wrong vibe given the recent history of devastating fires. Other than poaching Vanja, which was a smart move, it seems like the missteps have continued apace.
Expand ...
Great point. Didn't think of the forest fire perspective.
 

Online statistics

Members online
343
Guests online
4,312
Total visitors
4,655
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
164,622
Messages
4,403,946
Members
10,217
Latest member
Hawkeye84


.
..
Top Bottom