2025 WNBA free agency tracker

The WNBA free agency fireworks have begun to crackle. Keep up with which stars are on the move, which ones a staying put and everything else in between.

The WNBA’s free agency period is about to get frothy.

While most players and teams cannot officially agree to contracts until Feb. 1, the free agency waters have begun to churn, with the negotiation window opening on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Here’s a look at what’s happen so far, with updates to come as more signings, trades and credibly-sourced reports emerge:

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A Katie Lou Storm’s a brewin’

After agreeing to a contract buyout with the Indiana Fever earlier in the free agency period, Katie Lou Samuelson reached unrestricted free agency and will sign with the Seattle Storm on a one-year contract.

It is a return to Seattle for Samuelson, who played for the Storm in 2021.

More on the Mabrey-Sun standoff

After Connecticut Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti’s interview with Sportico, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou followed up with the opposing sides in the developing dispute between the Sun and Marina Mabrey.

Mabrey’s agent, Marcus Crenshaw of The FAM agency, criticized Connecticut for restricting Mabrey’s empowerment as a modern player, writing in a statement provided to ESPN:

In this current age of women’s empowerment and support of the players, the CT Sun threatening to force Marina Mabrey to play for them after her trade request is mind-boggling. Why would anyone try to force someone to play on their team when they don’t want to be there? It’s counterproductive in a ton of ways and everyone we have spoken to is perplexed about how they are handling Marina, after trading away Hall of Fame caliber players.

He added, “The coach parted ways. No free agents returned and they are doing all they can to try and force Marina to stay when she clearly doesn’t want to be there. It’s interesting.”

After adopting a combative tone toward Mabrey in her interview with Sportico, Rizzotti offered a more magnanimous assessment of Mabrey and her status with the Sun when speaking to ESPN, sharing:

The reasons that we have for not trading Marina are rooted in positivity. It’s rooted in a desire to build around her, have her here, have her be the catalyst for what we want to do offensively, taking advantage of her versatility, knowing that the style that [coach] Rashid [Meziane] plays with will suit her game, and knowing that we can put her in an individual situation to be really successful as this current CBA closes and a new one opens.

Rizzotti exhibited further understanding of Mabrey’s circumstance, noting:

I think there’s probably a lot of professional athletes that are on teams that they don’t necessarily prefer to be on. I don’t think that this would be an isolated situation….I think Marina is as competitive as they come. It’s one of the reasons that we wanted her here…

Rizzotti then asserted the right of the Sun to do what is best for the organization, empahsizing that “it might also be seen as counterproductive for us to give in to every single trade request, right? So I think sometimes you get put in a no-win situation, and I think we’re trying to be as fair as we can to a lot of different constituents.”

Sun president defends organization, denies Mabrey’s trade request

The hollowing out the Connecticut Sun roster has not hollowed out the spirit of team president Jennifer Rizzotti, who insisted in an interview with Sportico, “We’re not hitting the panic button. We feel good about the moves that we’ve made. We’ve been very intentional about our priorities.”

During the 2025 free agency period, Connecticut has lost its longstanding core of Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, as well as rising star DiJonai Carrington. Thomas and Carrington, were traded to the Phoenix Mercury and Dallas Wings, respectively, while Bonner signed with the Indiana Fever and Jones joined the Atlanta Dream as unrestricted free agents.

The most notable return from those transactions was Natasha Cloud, although the former Mercury guard has yet to be officially introduced by the organization. The team’s best remaining player, 2024 midseason acquisition Marina Mabrey, also has requested a trade. Rizzotti offered a rather blistering response to Mabrey’s reported request, saying, “We knew at the time that she had already forced her way out of two teams, so it was a bit risky for us to trade for her, but we felt like it was worth it.”

Rizzotti also criticized how other general managers, as well as player agents, have dealt with new Sun general manager Morgan Tuck, asserting:

I’m very disappointed in a lot of how agents and GMs have talked and threatened [Tuck] through this process She, through it all, has handled herself with integrity, fairness and steadiness that I’m not sure that I would’ve been able to have if I was dealing with some of these people.

Reading between the lines, it seems general managers and agents are expecting the unseasoned Tuck to relent to their demands, disregarding whether such transactions would benefit the Sun. Connecticut, however, is not complying. So, it looks like the WNBA’s favorite chef will have to cook up something special to find her way to a different franchise.

Fever sign Turner

The Indiana Fever have continued their roster renovation, signing unrestricted free agent Brianna Turner. A two-time All-Defense selection and consistent contributor during her five-season tenure with the Phoenix Mercury, the six-year vet played a minimized role with the Chicago Sky last season.

The Fever surely hope to tap back into Turner’s former defensive form as the team chases championship contention.

More moves from Connecticut

The Connecticut Sun continue to try to round out their roster with uncovered gems.

The team signed two-time Nigerian Olympian Amy Okonkwo to a training camp contract, as well as Kariata Diaby, who has represented the Ivory Coast internationally. Both also have professional experience in France, with the pair currently playing for Tango Bourges Basket, a club that also is competing in EuroLeague Women.

The Sun also signed Abbey Hsu, who the team selected No. 34 in the 2024 WNBA Draft, to a training camp deal.

Storm trade for Lexie Brown

The Seattle Storm have continued to bolster their bench for the 2025 season, trading for the Los Angeles Sparks’ Lexie Brown.

Seattle sending is their 2025 second- and third-round picks and their 2027 second-round pick in exchange for Brown, who is under contract through the 2026 season.

The Storm also have made additional signings, inking Mackenzie Holmes, who the team selected No. 26 in the 2024 WNBA Draft, to her rookie scale contract, while giving training camp contracts to Zia Cooke and Brianna Fraser.

The Sparks made another move as well, signing Maria Kliundilkova to a training camp contract. The former Maria Vadeeva, who affectionately is known as “Masha,” played in LA in 2018 and 2019, having been selected by the team in the first round of the 2018 draft.

No news on EDD

During their introductory press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 12, the Washington Mystics’ new leadership team, general manager Jamila Wideman and head coach Sydney Johnson, provided little clarity about the future of Elena Delle Donne.

Cored by the Mystics last offseason, Delle Donne requested a trade; when her request was not granted, she decided to sit out the 2024 season. According to The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland, Johnson has contacted Delle Donne, telling her that “she has the grace from the organization to take her time to figure out what she wants to do.”

Wideman, per Copeland, declined to speculate about Delle Donne’s future, although she shared that the organization made the decision to not core Delle Donne before Wideman assumed the general managership.

In other moves, the Mystics signed Taylor Soule, the No. 28 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx, to a training camp contract.

EWeezy to the PNW

Erica Wheeler will join the Seattle Storm. The 10-year vet with sign a training camp contract, making her a valuable addition to a Storm team sporting a number of highly-paid players and championship ambitions.

Mercedes in LA

Mercedes Russell has signed a one-year, unprotected deal with the Los Angeles Sparks for $160,000. The two-time champ with the Seattle Storm will provide high-quality, experienced center depth for the Sparks, who lost Li Yueru in the sign-and-trade that brought Kelsey Plum to LA.

Laksa looks to bolster Phoenix

To fill out their roster around their new Big 3, the Phoenix Mercury have signed Kitjia Laksa to a one-year protected contract for $80,000. Drafted No. 11 overall by the Seattle Storm in 2020, the 28-year-old Latvian will make her WNBA debut in the Valley 2025.

Katie Lou is leaving Indy

The Indiana Fever have agreed to contract buyout terms with Katie Lou Samuelson, removing her guaranteed $180,250 from Indiana’s cap sheet.

Samuelson will be available for claim from the WNBA’s waiver wire for five days. Following that, she becomes an unrestricted free agent. According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Samuelson has been in conversation with four teams about her future.

Gabby Storms back to Seattle

Gabby Williams, an unrestricted free agent who was cored by the Seattle Storm, will be returning to the team, signing a one-year deal to remain in the Pacific Northwest.

According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Seattle would have honored Williams’ trade request had she wished to seek a new WNBA home. Instead, she’ll suit up for the Storm for a fourth-straight season.

Sun sign Lacan

The Connecticut Sun’s 2024 first-round draft selection, Leïla Lacan, will jump to the WNBA and join the team for 2025. A 20-year-old and 5-foot-11 guard who won a silver medal with France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lacan, who currently is playing for Basket Landes in EuroLeague Women, has signed her rookie scale contract

Aces add Egbo, Mitchell

After trading for Dana Evans, the Las Vegas Aces continued the reconstruction of the team’s bench by signing Queen Egbo and Tiffany Mitchell.

Egbo, who ended the 2024 season with Vegas, has signed a training camp contract. Mitchell, a teammate of A’ja Wilson’s at South Carolina, including on the Gamecocks’ 2017 national championship-winning team, has signed a one-year deal.

Second chances for Amihere, Berger

Waived by the teams that drafted them in 2023, both Laeticia Amihere and Grace Berger have been claimed, with the Golden State Valkyries scooping up Amihere and the Minnesota Lynx nabbing Berger.

Golden State also has signed Elissa Cunane to a training camp contract. Selected in the second round of the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, Cunane, with four career WNBA games to her name, has been a standout player for Žabiny Brno, one of the surprise teams of the 2024-25 EuroLeague Women competition.

Aces trade for Evans

Per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile, the Las Vegas Aces have traded for Dana Evans, sending two second-round picks to the Chicago Sky in exchange for the last remaining member of Chicago’s 2021 WNBA championship team.

AC back to SEA

Just like the 2024 Sixth Player of the Year, the 2023 Sixth Player of the Year is leaving Las Vegas. As reported by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Alysha Clark is returning to the Seattle Storm, where she won a pair of championships in 2018 and 2020.

Hayes headed to the Bay

Tiffany Hayes, the 2024 Sixth Player of the Year, is signing with the Golden State Valkyries, becoming the expansion franchise’s first big free agency get. In joining the Valkyries, Hayes follows head coach Natalie Nakase and Kate Martin, her assistant coach and teammate with the Las Vegas Aces last season, to San Francisco.

The Valkyries also have made three more additions, signing international standouts Janelle Salaün and Kyara Linkskens. Salaün, who currently stars for Beretta Famila Schio in EuroLeague Women, played for France at the 2024 Olympics, while Linskens played for Belgium, meaning she’ll reunite with her Belgian Cats teammate Julie Vanloo in the Bay.

The team also extended a training camp contract to Australian Chloe Bibby, who went undrafted in 2022 after playing collegiately at Mississippi State and Maryland.

Aces bolster frontcourt with Parker-Tyus

The Las Vegas Aces have signed their long-rumored frontcourt target, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus. And they’re getting her on a bargain deal, as the 10-year vet has signed a training camp contract. A first-time All-Star in 2023, Parker-Tyus had a disappointing 2024 season with the Atlanta Dream, underperforming before suffering a season-ending injury.

International additions in ATL, LA and CT

The Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun have looked abroad to fill out their rosters.

The Dream inked Holly Winterburn to rookie scale contract. A 5-foot-11 24-year-old guard from England, Winterburn has represented Great Britain in a number of international competitions. She currently in playing for Beşiktaş JK, which competes in Turkey’s Women Super League and EuroCup Women.

The Sparks have signed Shaneice Swain, who they drafted in the 2023 WNBA Draft, to a rookie scale contract. At 21 years old, the indigenous Australian guard has been one of the best players in the WNBL in the 2024-25 season for the Sydney Flames.

The Sun are bringing back Yvonne Anderson, who played for Connecticut in 2022. Anderson is one of the best point guards on the international stage. A naturalized Serbian citizen, she has represented the White Eagles in multiple international competitions, including the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. After helping Fenerbahçe capture a second-straight EuroLeague Women championship last season, she’s been an integral piece for ÇBK Mersin this season. Anderson signed a two-year deal with the Sun, meaning she will be one of the few non-rookie scale players who will be under contract after the expiration of the current CBA.

Trade me, Mabrey

Marina Mabrey is hoping to cook up a trade out of Connecticut.

Mabrey’s agent, Marcus Crenshaw of The Fam, told ESPN’s Alexa Philippou that she has requested a trade from the Connecticut Sun. The Sun acquired Mabrey during the 2024 WNBA season from the Chicago Sky. She is signed through the 2025 season, due to be paid $210,000.

Connecticut did not offer comment about Mabrey’s request to ESPN.

“Face of the League” to Indy

An integral, emotional piece to the Las Vegas Aces’ 2022 and 2023 championships, Sydney Colson is taking her energy and experience to Indianapolis, joining the Indiana Fever on a one-year deal. Colson is expected to have the opportunity to back up Caitlin Clark at the point guard position.

Signing spree

As the pace of the WNBA’s free agency period, a number of teams have signed their own unrestricted, restricted and reserved free agents, as well as previously unsigned draftees, to contracts. Those agreements include:

• Golden State Valkyries: Monique Billings, one-year contract; Veronica Burton, training camp contract; Julie Vanloo, training camp contract
• Las Vegas Aces: Elizabeth Kitley, rookie scale contract
• Connecticut Sun: Mya Hollingshed, training camp contract; Robin Parks, training camp contract
• Washington Mystics: Sug Sutton, training camp contract; Emily Engstler, training camp contract

A Diamond for the Sun

The Connecticut Sun hope they have excavated a diamond as part of their roster reconstruction—Diamond DeShields, to be exact.

A 2019 WNBA All-Star with the Chicago Sky who appeared poised to ascend into stardom, a combination of serious injuries and illness have resulted in several uneven seasons for DeShields. In Connecticut, she should have the space to rediscover the most valuable aspects of her game, while the Sun, in turn, could benefit from a player with dynamic potential.

Charles returns to the Sun

The Connecticut Sun have not succumbed to total darkness.

On the same day that the franchise officially lost the WNBA’s third all-time leading scorer, DeWanna Bonner, to the Indiana Fever, they signed the league’s second all-time scorer, Tina Charles. Charles signing with Connecticut also is a homecoming, as the Sun drafted her No. 1 overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft. She spent the first four seasons of her career in Uncasville, winning MVP in 2012.

Sam Bam to the Valley

The top-heavy and star-studded Phoenix Mercury have begun to fill out their bench, adding veteran sharpshooter Sami Whitcomb. A two-time champion with the Seattle Storm, Whitcomb currently is putting together a stellar season for the league-leading Bendigo Spirit in the WNBL.

Wings make training camp signings

Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller continues to collect some of his favorites, signing Kaila Charles and Joyner Holmes, both of whom played for the Connecticut Sun when Miller was head coach, to training camp contracts. The Wings also have issued a training camp invite to German National Team standout Luisa Geiselsöder.

One of biggest trades in W history!

The two three-team trades that were headlined by Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally going to the Phoenix Mercury were merged into one, mega four-team trade. The 13 players and 18 assets involved both are the most in a single trade in league history, according to Across the Timeline.

Previously unreported was the inclusion of Jaelyn Brown, who will be sent from the Dallas Wings to the Indiana Fever. The Fever also subsequently waived Grace Berger.

Bonner chooses Indy

DeWanna Bonner will not be following her fiancée Alyssa Thomas to the Phoenix Mercury. Instead, she’ll join former Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White to Indianapolis, signing a one-year contract with the Indiana Fever.

Find out more about Bonner’s move here.

Bec Allen will address the Sky’s big weakness

Sent back to the Connecticut Sun as part of the Alyssa Thomas trade, Rebecca Allen, who spent last season with the Phoenix Mercury, is now headed to the Chicago Sky, acquired in exchange for Lindsay Allen and the rights to Nikolina Milíc, as first reported by Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times.

A quick-trigger 3-point shooter who also is a plus defender, Allen will help address Chicago’s outside shooting deficit.

The organization likely hopes Kia Nurse, a willing but streakier 3-point shooter, will do the same. The unrestricted free agent, who played for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2024, will sign with the Sky on a one-year deal according to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.

Following these moves, Costabile suggested that it is now “less likely that the Sky will move their No. 3 pick, but league sources have indicated that an All-Star-caliber player would warrant a trade.”

Dallas to add Hines-Allen

The re-envisioning of the Dallas Wings continues with the addition of Myisha Hines-Allen, who will sign with the team on a one-year deal according to Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan. The unrestricted free agent had spent her entire WNBA career with the Washington Mystics until a midseason trade to the Minnesota Lynx last season.

Opening bell moves

Starting Feb. 1, franchises could, officially, get down to business, completing agreed to trades and signings. In some cases, the need to add new players requires parting with players on roster.

In Atlanta, the Dream waived Laeticia Amihere, while the Los Angeles Sparks waived Zia Cooke.

The Chicago Sky and New York Liberty moved quickly to retain players, with Chicago securing restricted free agent Michaela Onyenwere and New York inking unrestricted free agent Kennedy Burke.

Dallas trades for DiJonai

New general manager Curt Miller is making moves for the Dallas Wings. Soon after sending Satou Sabally to the Phoenix Mercury, he sent the No. 8 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, acquired as part of the three-team deal, and Jacy Sheldon to the Connecticut Sun for DiJonai Carrington, the 2024 Most Improved Player, and the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft.

Find out more about the deal here.

What’s going on in Golden State?

Many expected the Golden State Valkyries to enter the league with a bang, making big moves in the free agency period in order to equip the expansion team with the talent needed to compete at a high level during their inaugural season.

However, according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, the team’s entreaties to top free agents have proven unappealing, with the likes of Kelsey Plum, Courtney Vandersloot and Brionna Jones ultimately choosing other destinations. She also notes that the Valkyries lack the assets required to trade for a premier player, leading the team to begin to recognize that they may not be especially competitive in 2025.

Nneka is sticking in Seattle

As her sister Chiney announced live on ESPN, Nneka Ogwumike will be re-signing with the Seattle Storm, choosing to stay in the Pacific Northwest after first joining the team as an unrestricted free agent last offseason.

Lynx to retain Hiedeman, sign Badiane

The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Kent Youngblood reports that the Minnesota Lynx intend to re-sign Natisha Hiedeman, in addition to adding Marième Badiane, the center for the French National Team who currently plays for Fenerbahçe.

Sims back to Sparks

Odyssey Sims will continue her WNBA career with the Los Angeles Sparks, reports Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan. Sims played two full seasons in LA in 2017 and 2018, in addition to suiting up for the Sparks for 15 games last season.

Satou gets to Phoenix through three-teamer

Satou Sabally, who was cored by the Dallas Wings but had announced her intention to join a new organization, is headed to the desert, joining Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper on the Phoenix Mercury.

Sabally arrives in Phoenix as part of a three-team trade that also involves NaLyssa Smith going from the Indiana Fever to Dallas and Sophie Cunningham departing Phoenix for Indiana. Get all the details here.

Flash returns to Fever

Natasha Howard was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft, spending two seasons in Indy under then-head coach Stephanie White. Over her next nine WNBA seasons, Howard won three championships, earned two All-Stars selections and was named the 2018 Most Improved Player and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year.

And now, she’s heading back to Indiana, where she’ll again be coached by White, joining a team that includes the re-signing Kelsey Mitchell and the 2023 and 2024 WNBA Rookies of the Year in Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.

It’s Breezy in Atlanta

Like Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones is leaving the Connecticut Sun, but she’s going to partner with the player whom Thomas is replacing with the Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner.

Jones is signing with the Atlanta Dream, as first reported by ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. The eight-season WNBA veteran who was the league’s 2021 Most Improved Player and 2022 Sixth Player of the Year will be part of a revitalized Atlanta frontcourt with Griner.

KMitch commits to Indy

No drama here. Kelsey Mitchell will re-sign with Indiana Fever, inking a one-year supermax deal for $249,244.

The eight-season vet stuck with Indiana through the franchise’s nadir; she’ll now be a part of its ascent. On Mitchell’s decision to remain in Indiana, new Fever head coach Stephanie White said:

I’m thrilled that Kelsey is returning to Fever. She has been an integral part of this franchise from the moment she was drafted. I have watched her journey from the sideline since her time in college and have always admired her work ethic, approach to the game and the way she interacts with her teammates. I can’t wait to work with her.

Sloot is headed back to the Sky

Building off the previous update, it appears Courtney Vandersloot will, in fact, return to her first WNBA franchise, as she is expected to sign with the Chicago Sky. Per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile, Vandersloot will be a starter with the Sky, whereas other teams pursued her services for a bench role.

No. 3 pick on the move?

According to Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Sky have considered trading the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA in order to convince Courtney Vandersloot to then sign with the team. Vandersloot, an unrestricted free agent who played for the Sky from 2011 to 2022, met with general manager Jeff Pagliocca and head coach Tyler Marsh in Miami last week; the Sky leadership also met with Connecticut Sun restricted free agent DiJonai Carrington.

Costabile explains, “The Sky’s only hope of landing a player such as Vandersloot is if Pagliocca can move the team’s lottery pick to get an experienced shooting guard or two-way wing.” She cites the Washington Mystics’ Ariel Atkins, New York Liberty’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton or Los Angeles Sparks’ Rae Burrell as potential targets, although she further notes that assets outside the No. 3 pick could be used to pursue those players.

Costabile summarizes the Sky’s intentions, writing:

If Pagliocca doesn’t see a path toward signing Vandersloot, holding on to the No. 3 pick is advantageous. But as long as he has a shot at signing Vandersloot, expect that pick to remain on the table.

Aces’ next addition?

After making a change in their backcourt, with Kelsey Plum departing for LA and Jewell Loyd arriving from Seattle, the Las Vegas Aces are looking for a frontcourt partner for A’ja Wilson, arguably the team’s biggest weakness.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the organization saw Brittney Griner, who will sign with the Atlanta Dream, as an option. Now, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, who was spent the last four seasons of her 10-year career in Atlanta, is the team’s top frontcourt target. Per Callie Fin of the Las Vegas Review Journal, Parker-Tyus prefers to sign with the Aces.

Vegas also hopes to re-sign unrestricted free agents Tiffany Hayes and Alysha Clark, the 2024 and 2023 Sixth Player to the Year award winners with the Aces. Fin has reported that Hayes has begun to take meetings with other teams while in Miami for Unrivaled.

BG, SWK to ATL

Brittney Griner will sign a one-year contract with the Atlanta Dream, departing the Phoenix Mercury after 11 seasons. According to The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland, the Dream also are expected to sign Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who has spent the majority of her eight-season WNBA career with the Washington Mystics, to a one-year deal.

Here’s more on the Dream’s big moves.

The Engine is heading West

After spending her entire 11-year WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun, Alyssa Thomas is taking her talents to the desert, with the Phoenix Mercury reportedly acquiring her via a sign-and-trade.

Get more info about the deal here.

Loyd-Plum blockbuster is happening

Although the trade cannot be finalized until Feb. 1, the Seattle Storm, Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks have agreed to a trade that will send Jewell Loyd to Vegas, Kelsey Plum to LA and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft to Seattle.

Get all the details here.

The three-team blockbuster that could kickstart free agency

According to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile, WNBA free agency will begin flowing once a three-team blockbuster trade is completed.

The proposed transaction would send Jewell Loyd from the Seattle Storm to the Las Vegas Aces, Kelsey Plum would depart the Aces for the Los Angeles Sparks and the Storm would receive a package of assets from the Sparks.

The composition of the package of assets Seattle will receive appears to be preventing the trade’s completion, per Costabile. Seattle likely seeks one of Los Angeles’ 2024 rookies, Cameron Brink or Rickea Jackson, or the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, all of which the Sparks may be reluctant to part with.

Reeve goes recruiting

Minnesota Lynx head coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve was spotted in Turkey, taking in the EuroLeague Women game between Fenerbahçe and Venezia along with assistant coach Eric Thibault.

Fenerbahçe’s roster is littered with WNBA talent, including Ariel Atkins, Gabby Williams, Tina Charles and Emma Meesseman. Atkins is under contract with the Washington Mystics through the 2025 season, and it’s unclear if, despite the organization signaling an intention to rebuild, Atkins would be made available for trade. Williams and Charles are unrestricted free agents, although Williams was cored by the Seattle Storm and thus also would have to be acquired via trade.

Meesseman stands out as the most intriguing potential target. Having last played in the WNBA in 2022 for the Chicago Sky, the 2019 Finals MVP with the Mystics spent her other seven W seasons in DC, meaning she is familiar with Thibault, who was an assistant to his dad, Mike Thibault, throughout Meesseman’s Washington tenure. Meesseman also was teammates with current Lynx Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride on Fenerbahçe last season, when the Turkish club won it’s second-straight EuroLeague Women title.

With backcourt uncertain, Aces also look to strengthen frontcourt

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Callie Fin, it “seems likely” that Kelsey Plum, who was cored by the Las Vegas Aces, will “negotiate a sig-and-trade to a new team.”

Plum’s departure could then pave the way for Jewell Loyd to join the Aces via trade, with Fin reporting that the opinion of A’ja Wilson, a Team USA teammate of Loyd’s at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, “will be heavily valued” in considerations surrounding Loyd and other offseason moves.

Fin cites Alyssa Thomas, who was cored by the Connecticut Sun and, therefore, would have to be acquired through a trade, as a potential froncourt target for Las Vegas. Thomas’ partner, DeWanna Bonner, who likely “would be a package deal” with Thomas, reportedly “seriously considered” the Aces when she was a free agent last offseason.

Fin further writes that Thomas, who currently is Unrivaled teammates with Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes, an unrestricted free agent whom the Aces could re-sign, “has been critical of the Sun’s lack of resources and shared facilities,” which “wouldn’t be a problem in Las Vegas.”

Where will Jewell Loyd land?

After Jewell Loyd requested a trade from the Seattle Storm in December, the Chicago Sky engaged with the Storm about acquiring the Chicago native, yet “in the month since that request was made, talks between the Storm and Sky have cooled substantially,” reports the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile.

Instead, the Las Vegas Aces are Loyd’s preferred landing spot, according to Costabile. The Aces could trade the cored Kelsey Plum in exchange for Loyd. However, such a scenario would require Plum signing off on playing in Seattle. Possibly, a multi-team trade could allow both players to reach their desired destinations.

Currently playing for Mist in Unrivaled, Loyd spoke with the Sun-Times about what she’s seeking in the post-Seattle stage of her WNBA career, saying:

I’m excited. I fully believe the next 10 years of my life will be the best 10 years. I’ve learned a lot throughout everything, whether it be in the W, overseas, different business transactions. For me, it’s just about finding myself, staying true to who I am, and getting back to having peace throughout everything.

Loyd also indicated she has spoken to Breanna Stewart, her former Storm teammate and current Mist teammate, about navigating the next steps in her career, with Loyd sharing:

The biggest thing we’ve talked about is finding some place where I can just be free. You know, be myself. That’s what she wanted. She wanted to do things with her family, too. So I think the decision is bigger than just basketball.

With Loyd no longer an option, the Sky have set their sights on a familiar face, according to Costabile. Courtney Vandersloot, who has played 12 of her 14 WNBA seasons in Chicago and is an unrestricted free agent, is general manager Jeff Pagliocca’s “top target to fill the point guard position.”

First move for Mystics?

As Josh Felton has outlined, it looks like the Washington Mystics are headed toward a rebuild. With that approach in mind, it appears the team is unlikely to retain Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, according to The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland.

Coming off the most productive season of her nine-year WNBA career, Walker-Kimbrough, currently playing in Poland, has taken meetings with other teams.

BG, Sloot taking free agency meetings in Miami

According to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press, Brittney Griner will test free agency for the first time in her career, taking meeting with WNBA executives who are in Miami for the opening weekend of Unrivaled. Previously, the Phoenix Mercury great had re-signed without hearing other teams’ pitches.

A member of Phantom, Griner sees her Unrivaled experience as an opportunity “to show off my skills for free agency.”

Courtney Vandersloot, who has spent the past two seasons with the New York Liberty and is suiting up for Mist in Unrivaled, also has meetings with several WNBA teams. On how Unrivaled has created a fruitful environment for free agency conversations, Vandersloot said:

There’s conversations for sure. Everybody’s like “Hey, you want to come play here?” I think it’s great. You know, it gives you an opportunity to get, like, real honest feedback about teams and say, who wants to play with each other? We’re at a time in the league that there’s going to be a lot of player movement.

What’s going on with Chennedy Carter?

The Chicago Sky elected not to issue a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Chennedy Carter, making the four-year guard who averaged a career-high 14.8 points per game last season an unrestricted free agent, meaning she is free to sign a contract with another team that Chicago cannot match.

Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile:

Chennedy had an incredible season for us last year. She’s extremely talented and is a player that can impact the game at the highest level in our league. We absolutely appreciate all she did for our team last year. However, we’ve made changes to our staff and will make changes to our roster. Those changes impact Chennedy’s fit on the team, so we wanted to give her the best opportunity as a free agent.

Costabile offered further reporting about Carter’s 2024 season with the Sky, citing internal difficulties. According to Costabile:

According to multiple league sources, players were unhappy with the dynamic created in the locker room last year due to Carter’s behavior, which went unchecked by former coach Teresa Weatherspoon. There was concern within the team regarding how re-signing Carter would impact the Sky’s chances of landing other free agents.

She further suggests the organization’s decision not to try to retain Carter was made by Pagliocca, new head coach Tyler Marsh and Sky ownership. Carter, who currently is having a standout season in the WCBA, participated in a Twitter/X spaces on Monday night, sharing her perspective of her situation.

Cored player check in

As of Monday, Jan. 20, six WNBA players who are unrestricted free agents have been cored by their teams:

• Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun)
• Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)
• Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm)
• Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever)
• Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces)
• Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings)

The core qualifying offer is a one-year, fully-guaranteed contract that begins at a supermax salary; for the 2025 season, that number is $249,244. However, the player and team can negotiate a core contract with different terms. A cored player also can be traded, including to a team that has already cored a player. This, for example, means the New York Liberty could acquire Satou Sabally.

Qualifying offer updates

The window for teams to issue qualifying offers to restricted free agents and reserved players closed on Monday, Jan. 20.

Restricted free agents who do not sign the qualifying offer presented by their team can sign an offer sheet from another team; however, that player’s prior team has the right to match. Reserved players, in contrast, cannot negotiate a contract with other WNBA teams, although they can agree to contract terms different from the reserve qualifying offer with their current team. If they accept the reserved player qualifying offer, which is a non-guaranteed training camp contract of $66,079, they can sign before the Feb. 1 signing window opens. Restricted free agents and reserved players who did not receive a qualifying offer now are unrestricted free agents and able to sign with any team, as is the case with Chennedy Carter.

Here are the qualifying offers teams have issued, as well as the players who have signed training camp contracts:

Atlanta Dream

The Dream extended reserved qualifying offers to Maya Caldwell and Lorela Cubaj. Caldwell has signed a non-guaranteed training camp contract for $66,079.

Chicago Sky

While choosing not to issue a qualifying offer to Carter, the Sky presented a reserved qualifying offer to Nikolina Milić and restricted qualifying offers to Dana Evans and Michaela Onyenwere.

Connecticut Sun

The Sun extended a restricted qualifying offer to DiJonai Carrington and a reserved qualifying offer to Caitlin Bickle, who has signed a non-guaranteed training camp contract for $66,079.

Dallas Wings

The Wings extended reserved qualifying offers to Sevgi Uzun and Jaelyn Brown. Uzun and Brown have signed a non-guaranteed training camp contracts for $66,079.

Golden State Valkyries

The Valkyries presented a restricted qualifying offer to Temi Fagbenle and reserved qualifying offers to Julie Vanloo, Veronica Burton and Cecilia Zandalasini.

Indiana Fever

The Fever had no players eligible for restricted or reserved qualifying offers.

Las Vegas Aces

The Aces did not extend a reserved qualifying offer to Queen Egbo, the team’s only restricted or reserved free agent.

Los Angeles Sparks

The Sparks presented a restricted qualifying offer to Aari McDonald and a reserved qualifying offer to Li Yueru.

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx did not issue a reserved qualifying offer to Olivia Époupa, the team’s only restricted or reserved free agent.

New York Liberty

The Liberty presented reserved qualifying offers to Marine Johannès, Jaylyn Sherrod, Rebekah Gardner and Ivana Djokić. Sherrod and Gardner have signed non-guaranteed training camp contracts for $66,079.

Phoenix Mercury

The Mercury extended reserved qualifying offers to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Natasha Mack, Amy Atwell and Celeste Taylor. Mack and Taylor have signed a non-guaranteed training camp contract for $66,079. The team did not issue a reserved qualifying offer to Charisma Osborne.

Seattle Storm

The Storm had no players eligible for restricted or reserved qualifying offers.

Washington Mystics

The Mystics extended reserved qualifying offers to Emily Engstler, Sug Sutton and Bernadett Határ. The team did not issue a reserved qualifying offer to Li Meng.