WNBA 2026
- Thread starter Geew1992
- Start date
I am thinking Kaitlyn Chen might be a good expansion pick for Toronto.
I don’t know who golden state will protect. Probably not her and I would assume both Portland and Toronto will be enthusiastic about selecting Valkyrie players.
I don’t know who golden state will protect. Probably not her and I would assume both Portland and Toronto will be enthusiastic about selecting Valkyrie players.
- Joined
- May 1, 2020
- Messages
- 9,902
- Reaction Score
- 31,375
Thought I had bookmarked a post on Twitter, but can't find it. Below is what Google Gemini provided for an answer. Believe they're still tentative as I believe the agreement has to be officially ratified.
| Event | Date(s) |
| Expansion Draft | April 1 – April 6 (Toronto Tempo & Portland Fire) |
| Free Agency: Qualifying Offers | April 7 – April 8 |
| Free Agency: Negotiation Period | April 9 – April 11 |
| Free Agency: Signing Period | April 12 – April 18 |
| 2026 WNBA Draft | April 13 (7:30 PM ET on ESPN) |
| Training Camp Opens | April 19 |
| Preseason Games Begin | April 25 |
| Regular Season Tip-Off | May 8 |
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2011
- Messages
- 8,966
- Reaction Score
- 31,396
Yep. 70%-80% of the League is free agents.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2011
- Messages
- 8,966
- Reaction Score
- 31,396
Thanks. As Samuel L. Jackson said in Jurassic Park I...Hold on to your butts! The next 5 weeks are going to be intense!
.-.
TheFarmFan
Stanford Fan, Huskies Admirer
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2018
- Messages
- 2,663
- Reaction Score
- 18,970
My money is that assuming we don't protect Laeticia Amihere, the Tempo will absolutely take her (and they should). I just don't see us protecting her over VB, Rupert, Salaun, Juste, and Leite. Remember that because LA was waived she's a free agent, which means even if we protect her, she can sign and go elsewhere. (The same, of course, is true of Chen.) The five I'd pick are all restricted free agents, reserved players, or on rookie contracts.
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2020
- Messages
- 2,016
- Reaction Score
- 7,844
That would probably be a good strategy to get butts in seats too. It would be cool for the Tempo to have some Canadians on the roster.
- Joined
- May 1, 2020
- Messages
- 9,902
- Reaction Score
- 31,375
On one hand I'd agree. Amihere needs a fresh start to build on what she did with the Valkyries. A coach like Brondello could do wonders.
On the other hand, I'm leery about her returning to Toronto because it could also be a distraction. There are a lot of hanger ons in the 6 who would love a chance to leverage her status to enhance their own. It happened to her in high school and sometimes I think it inflated her ego in a bad way.
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2015
- Messages
- 7,372
- Reaction Score
- 40,628
Why?? There a so many free agents. They can get the best player in the draft and sign an all star caliber player.
Bigboote
That's big-boo-TAY
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2016
- Messages
- 8,578
- Reaction Score
- 46,390
So the draft is happening the second day of free agency, when the vast majority of the players are free agents, so teams are kind of drafting blind, although I'm sure all have plans for free agents. I can get my head around that.
IIRC free agents aren't part of the expansion draft. And teams can protect five players, which is 65 players. Does anyone know how many players are even available for the expansion draft, or have a reasonably educated guess? How many each team gets to draft (in theory)?
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2024
- Messages
- 767
- Reaction Score
- 3,331
2026 WNBA expansion draft: Protected player predictions - ESPN (12/11/2025):
- Contains list of Unprotected Players. These lists contain &1 UFAs, which has a catch (below).
- Assumes new CBA reduced the number of protected players to five, instead of six.
- The chosen UFA is required to be cored.
- Because of the coring rules (allegedly no changes prior to 2027), there is an arbitrage opportunity to poach, say, Jackie Young/ Chelsea Gray, or Satou Sabally. A list is here.
- Only 1 UFA can be cored per team at any one time which is de-facto protection.
- Expansion teams can only select 1 UFA total in the expansion draft, and they must core them.
- So teams need only core their best elite UFA.
- So protected lists will have the better non-UFAs and the non-UFAs in non-protected lists are the slim pickings (with 100+ UFAs).
Last edited:
.-.
Bigboote
That's big-boo-TAY
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2016
- Messages
- 8,578
- Reaction Score
- 46,390
Thank you. I've now remember seeing this before and being befuddled by it. I still am, but seeing the list you linked to answers the important question.