Dillon, you clearly know much, much more than I do about Restricted Free Agents in the WNBA and the potential impact of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement on the horizon, but I can't help but ponder why wouldn't a club trade for a player this year in order to have exclusive discussions with her about a long-term contract? Perhaps even build in some clauses that might take into account the upcoming restructuring of the CBA to further entice the targeted player to sign? Kinda like "Cost Plus" contracts the government signs when the need is great and future not set in stone.
In fact, I think that approach would be extremely advantageous for a forward-thinking GM to consider. Said differently, there might be significant merit in taking steps NOW to acquire the talent you are targeting down the road and pursue long-term contracts. Otherwise, the GMs are in the middle of a free-for-all with agents once the new CBA hits the streets and RFAs are rampant. Thoughts?