WNBA 2026

[JellyBean]

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

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]

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.

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.

 

[GamecockFam]

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.

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.

 

[cancontent]

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.

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.

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.

 

[Geew1992]

I think Dallas needs to get creative with the number one overall pick. There might be some teams that really covet one of the top players this year.

If I can do a pick swap and acquire an all star caliber player… I would do it.

Why?? There a so many free agents. They can get the best player in the draft and sign an all star caliber player.

 

[Bigboote]

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

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)?

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

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)?

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.

Per Valkyries’ expansion draft rules, One UFA can be chosen by an expansion team.

• 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.

&1 I don’t agree with having UFAs in the protected lists.

• 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).

 

[Stagnant]

I am back to thinking Dallas should take Betts. I have cooled on the Fam idea.

 

[Bigboote]

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.

Per Valkyries’ expansion draft rules, One UFA can be chosen by an expansion team.

• 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.

&1 I don’t agree with having UFAs in the protected lists.

• 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).

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.

 

[cancontent]

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Expansion Draft Rules Announced: WNBA Expansion Draft 2026 Set For Friday, April 3 on ESPN

 

[Hayven]

With much of Iowa St losing their players to transfers, Audi is actually eligible for this year’s draft based on her age. Do the time constraints still apply? For example, I think the final four players have a day or two to declare after their final game. Does anyone know the date this year? I don’t want this to start a college debate, just a general question about the draft.

 

[ConnMotors]