WNBA Power Rankings After the 2025 Trade Deadline

The trade deadline has passed, which means we've reached the final regular-season checkpoint as we push toward the postseason. With roughly a month to go, it's going to be excited to see teams jockey for playoff position—or pull the plug on a push altogether.

It's feels like a good time to, once again, take stock of the league. Much like the post-All-Star-break power rankings, this is about how well teams are playing right now instead of an in-a-vacuum ranking. As an example: The Liberty, Mercury and Storm are, and have been, better teams than the Sparks this year in my opinion, but neither will rank higher than them in this piece.

Let's dig in, shall we?

All stats are current through games played on August 7. The stats are courtesy of WNBA.com (basic player stats/advanced team stats), PBP Stats (lineup combinations), or Second Spectrum (player or team tracking/play-type data) unless otherwise noted.

13. Chicago Sky (8-22)

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Previous Ranking: 11 (-2)

Since Last Ranking (1-7): 13th in offense, 13th in defense, 13th in net rating

Next Five Games: @Fever, @Sun, Valkyries, Storm, @Liberty

Three Quick Thoughts

• An obligatory "It stinks that Angel Reese has been out" point, since she's only appeared in two of these games and remains out with a back injury. She's been dubbed "day-to-day", but you obviously don't want to play around with any sort of back problem and risk any long-term issues. I would be sad if she's done for the year, but I also wouldn't mind, considering where the Sky are in the standings. Either way, get well soon, Angel.

• Kamilla Cardoso wins the Intrigue Award during this recent stretch of play, averaging 13.8 points (eight straight games in double digits, longest of her career), 10.5 rebounds (2.9 offensive), 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks. The passing has probably been the most interesting part, as she's mixed in some interesting reps as a high-post hub spreading the wealth to cutters. I'd still like more consistency with her screens and especially seals—at least some of the "Why doesn't Kamilla get the ball more?" complaints lie at her feet for not establishing or maintaining positioning more often, making life a little tougher on her guards to feed her—but she's undoubtedly been a bright spot.

• I've alluded to this before, but I remain impressed with some of the set pieces that head coach Tyler Marsh has drawn up for shooters like Rachel Banham (continuing to play well) and Rebecca Allen this year. Sure enough, the Sky have scored 167 points on "After Timeout" possessions, second-most in the league to the Las Vegas Aces (180). Their points-per-possession mark (1.02) ranks fourth, only trailing the Aces (1.11), Minnesota Lynx (1.10) and the Los Angeles Sparks (1.08).

12. Connecticut Sun (5-24)

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Previous Ranking: 13 (+1)

Since Last Ranking (2-5): 9th in offense, 6th in defense, 9th in net rating

Next Five Games: @Aces, @Valkyries, Sky, Fever, @Mystics

Three Quick Thoughts

• Before their most recent loss to the red-hot Los Angeles Sparks, the Sun actually had the third-best post-All-Star break defense in the league. It's of course a testament to the small-ish sample and the inherent volatility of stats within it, but the Sun's aggression and complementary activity on the back line has been fun to watch. Leila Lacan (3.4 steals post-All-Star break!) and Bria Hartley don't mind getting in your jersey; Hartley doesn't mind mixing it up, period, which...let's just say more teams are starting to get annoyed by that. Saniya Rivers continues to fly around and make plays, though she could probably stand to dial down some of the gambles. Aneesah Morrow seems to always find herself near the ball these days. Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Tina Charles have done solid work at the level of screens. This team is working, man.

• I'm excited to see Aaliyah Edwards in Connecticut, again (shout out to the Huskies). Her mobility and hand-activity should vibe nicely within the Sun's defense, which feels important for obvious reasons. Offensively, her slips and rolls should make life a little easier for the guards. Her drives have always intrigued me; I wonder how much freedom we'll see from her on that front. More than anything, I wonder how many minutes she'll log at center to close out this season. The frontcourt isn't as loaded as it was in Washington, but she is technically behind Charles on that front.

• She's "survived" the trade deadline, so it would be nice to see Marina Mabrey get back to shot making. Teams have worked pretty hard to make her uncomfortable this year—she's been blitzed on nearly 13 percent of her pick-and-rolls, easily the highest mark in the league among high-volume ball-handlers—so I'll continue to monitor how well (and quickly) she handles that, and what kind of activity we see from her after she gives the ball up.

11. Washington Mystics (13-16)

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Previous Ranking: 6 (-5)

Since Last Ranking (2-5): 12th in offense, 7th in defense, 11th in net rating

Next Five Games: @Lynx, @Wings, Valkyries, @Fever, Sparks

Three Quick Thoughts

• With Brittney Sykes heading to Seattle, naturally more eyes will be on the rookie tandem of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. I'm probably more intrigued by what Citron's on-ball usage is going to look like, both in terms of volume and productivity. I've liked some of the quick-hitting pocket passes she's nailed when operating in handoffs; is she ready for more primary initiation? Or rather, does head coach Sydney Johnson want her to assume more primary initiation or will he prefer a more natural build-up on that front? It's worth noting she received 16 on-ball picks against the Sky on Tuesday, her third highest clip of the season. We'll see!

• Jacy Sheldon feels like a hand-in-glove fit with this Washington group. She's going to get after it defensively, and doesn't mind picking up players behind half-court. Considering how often the Mystics mix in full court pressure, that seems important. Offensively, there should be more on-ball room for her to explore than there was in Connecticut—or at least she (reportedly) feels that way. Her three-point shooting is very much needed; the Mystics frankly didn't have a high-volume shooter in the room, so I imagine Sheldon will have the green light on that front.

• Related to the three-point volume point, I wonder what kind of aggression we see from Alysha Clark as she makes her return to Washington. She hasn't shot well this season, but she's long proven herself as a capable threat from out there. Without heavy playoff expectations, maybe we see a more free version of Clark.

10. Dallas Wings (8-22)

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Previous Ranking: 12 (+2)

Since Last Ranking (2-5): 7th in offense, 10th in defense, 10th in net rating

Next Five Games: Liberty, Mystics, @Fever, Sparks, @Aces

Three Quick Thoughts

• Kinda have to start with Paige Bueckers, no? Something that I find myself repeating when watching games or taking notes is some variation of "I like how Paige is handling traps." She's one of four players—Sabrina Ionescu, Tiffany Hayes and Marina Mabrey are the others—to be blitzed on at least 10 percent of her pick-and-rolls post-All-Star break. She's committed one (1) turnover on those blitz reps, which feels like a typo for a rookie. She's done such a good job of diagnosing and accepting the aggression, and countering with quick advance passes to the wing or soft lobs to whoever is slipping/rolling.

• While I'm thinking about guards, just a quick salute to Arike Ogunbowale for battling through what has undoubtedly been a frustrating year for her on multiple fronts and finding herself within this context. You'll still get some early shots from her, but for the most part she's been very willing to both operate off the ball and simply get off the ball when she doesn't have anything. A quick example: She's averaging 2.9 dribbles per touch since the All-Star break, slightly down from her pre-break number (3.4) and a massive departure from last season's mark (4.0). It also helps that she's cashing in jumpers now, notably knocking down 37.5 percent of her catch-and-shoot threes. You'll take that if you're Dallas.

• Diamond Miller is going to enjoy her time in Dallas, once she's able to actually settle in. Her blend of size and athleticism should pop in this context; the transition play should speak for itself, but her sense for crashing the offensive glass would certainly fit a team that's been near or at the top of the leaderboard for multiple seasons in a row.

9. Golden State Valkyries (14-15)

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Previous Ranking: 9 (-)

Since Last Ranking (4-3): 10th in offense, 11th in defense, 12th in net rating

Next Five Games: Sparks, Sun, @Mystics, @Sky, Dream

Three Quick Thoughts

• Kayla Thornton putting together an All-Star + All-Defense worthy campaign, only to have it cut short immediately after All-Star weekend is so disheartening. I'm going to miss watching her envelop the ball-handler, crash the glass and sprinkle in more mid-range buckets than almost anyone expected her to this year.

• The Valkyries continue to drive all over the place, and boy is it an adventure (complimentary). They're averaging 50.1 drives per 100 possessions, second only to the Kelsey Plum-led Sparks. Watching Tiffany Hayes and Carla Leite in particular has been a joy. They consistently win in those situations, whether a screen is set or not. Considering the Valkyries are still getting up threes at a high clip and remain monsters on the offensive glass (33.3 offensive rebound rate, 3rd), the paint touches are invaluable.

• Speaking of the three-point shooting, welcome to the Valkyries, Iliana Rupert! She's been an irrational favorite of mine since her Aces days—I'm a sucker for a big who can space the floor while showcasing some semblance of mobility and/or ball skills—so it's been fun watching her fire away (50% on 4.3 attempts) since joining the club.

8. Seattle Storm (16-14)

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Previous Ranking: 4 (-4)

Since Last Ranking (2-5): 11th in offense, 1st in defense, 6th in net rating

Next Five Games: @Aces, @Sparks, Dream, @Dream, Mercury

Three Quick Thoughts

• I'm here for the Brittney Sykes trade, especially considering the price: Alysha Clark (fallen out of favor), Zia Cooke (mostly out of the rotation, immediately waived post-trade), and their own 2026 first round pick that should land well outside of the lottery. Sykes reinforces what the Storm are more than she solves what they aren't, and that's OK. Her ability to get downhill should juice both the transition and half-court attack. She's gotten to the free throw line at a career-high rate this season, which feels important considering the Storm rank last in free throw rate; funny enough, the Mystics ranked first, so I'm curious to see where they land without Sykes. Defensively, Sykes remains one of the best perimeter defenders we have in the league. How many teams have a wing tandem better than Sykes and Gabby Williams?

• To briefly touch on the three-point shooting: I remain concerned about it. Even when the Storm were near the top of the league in three-point shooting earlier this year, I was worried about the lack of volume—and how much their offense could suffer if the low-to-moderate shotmakers having career years suffered regression. Sure enough, Erica Wheeler (30.6% on 5.1 attempts) and Williams (21.1% on 2.7 attempts) have both faltered after the break—and the slippage dates back a little further. Despite the efforts from Nneka Ogwumike (40% on 5.0 attempts) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (39.1% on 3.8 attempts), the Storm rank in the bottom four in three-point efficiency and volume. That inconsistency, and teams goading them into those attempts by flooding the paint early, contribute to some of the fourth-quarter woes they've suffered since the break. In that span, they're 0-4 in clutch games and have an overall fourth-quarter net rating of minus-14.7 (11th). Something has to shift.

• Whew, buddy has Dominique Malonga been fun to watch as of late. Her averages (9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks in 18.0 minutes) are solid enough, but her growing comfort immediately pops when you turn on the film. I like the Storm mixing in off-ball screens for her to get her deep paint touches, and her turnaround jumper is in the "not great now, but you can see how this could be an unstoppable go-to move for her" stage. She's really pushing for an All-Rookie spot.

7. Phoenix Mercury (19-11)

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Previous Ranking: 2 (-5)

Since Last Ranking (4-4): 4th in offense, 3rd in defense, 4th in net rating

Next Five Games: Dream, Aces, @Storm, @Valkyries, @Aces

Three Quick Thoughts

• Since the break, Alyssa Thomas leads the Mercury in points (17.4), rebounds (11.6), assists (8.4), and steals (1.9). She's riding a triple-double streak, recently becoming the first player in WNBA history to rack up three in a row. I'll quickly sprinkle in that some of the late fourth-quarter minutes have made me anxious—you never want a Napheesa Collier situation where you tweak an ankle in an already-decided game—but I understand aiming for milestones. My angst aside, Thomas continues to put together one heck of an MVP case.

• We've gotten 29 minutes of Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally, DeWanna Bonner and Thomas on the floor together. The Mercury have won those minutes by 13 points. There is a lot of size, skill, and versatility among that quartet and I want to see more of it.

• A quick appreciation post for Natasha Mack, who continues to screen her tail off, finish virtually everything, and defends like her life depends on it. Her mix of perimeter comfort and interior rudeness isn't common; it's a major luxury for a Mercury team that (quietly) needs their defense to set the table for their success. Her presence alone allows Thomas to be the best version of herself as a roamer, and that deserves more love.

6. New York Liberty (19-10)

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Previous Ranking: 3 (-3)

Since Last Ranking (4-4): 6th in offense, 4th in defense, 5th in net rating

Next Five Games: @Wings, Lynx, @Sparks, @Aces, @Lynx

Three Quick Thoughts

• I recently made a post about it, but I've had a blast watching Sabrina Ionescu operate inside the arc this year. Her growth dates back further, but it feels like she's truly leveled up and turned into a legitimate three-level scorer. Her footwork feels so much cleaner, allowing her to access different finishes at the rim or flow into pull-ups and floaters more seamlessly. That she's also gotten better at reading defenders and seeking out contact (5.0 free throws since the break) feels like a cherry on top. We already know Ionescu is a strong playmaker and deep shooting threat; rounding out her game this way has made her, arguably, the best offensive guard in the league.
• We've only gotten two games of the Emma Meesseman experience so far, but you can see the skeleton of how helpful she should be in New York. The most exciting thing for me so far is how she's slotted into New York's early offensive flow. She can receive outlet passes and legitimately get the Liberty into their offense with handoffs or by dribbling into post-ups. In the half-court, she's already shown a willingness to operate as a second-side threat. Space her for threes, space her for handoff or pick-and-roll optionality; either way, it's kinda scary that you could stifle the Liberty's initial attack and still have to worry about Meesseman in some capacity in the second half of the possession.
• I need Breanna Stewart to get healthy immediately. First, I just want everyone to be healthy. Beyond that, the Liberty are going to toss out a lineup of Ionescu, Leonie Fiebich (get her some rest!), Stewart, Meesseman, and Jonquel Jones at some point and I'm ready to cackle at teams trying to figure out what to do with it.

5. Las Vegas Aces (16-14)

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Previous Ranking: 8 (+3)

Since Last Ranking (5-3): 5th in offense, 9th in defense, 7th in net rating

Next Five Games: Storm, Sun, Liberty, @Mercury, Wings

Three Quick Thoughts

• The Aces are quietly 4-1 since swapping out Jewell Loyd with Kiersten Bell in the starting lineup on July 27. Funny enough, the new starting lineup—Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Bell, A’ja Wilson, and NaLyssa Smith—has a point differential of zero (0) in 42 minutes over these five games, though I'd argue they've underperformed their shot quality (46.4% on 2s, 21.4% on 3s) so far. Loyd has really taken off since moving to the bench, averaging 16.2 points on blistering efficiency (71.4% on 2s, 43.6% on 7.8 3s, 83% on FTs) since the shift. Of note: she's taken 33 catch-and-shoot 3s since the change (2nd in the league), while draining an absurd 48.5 percent of them. The Aces will take that.

• The Jackie Young-A'ja Wilson connection is, once again, the league's best pick-and-roll tandem among high volume pairings (261 picks, 1.12 PPP). What's stood out as of late, though, is what the two are doing in dribble-handoff situations. The pairing ran 88 handoffs last year (regular season and playoffs), but generated only 0.89 PPP on those trips. They've already ran 88 this season with over a month to go, and their efficiency (1.09 PPP) and comfort in that context has skyrocketed. The more ways these two can make music together, the better.

• I think we've officially reached the Rookie Wall™️ with Aaliyah Nye, and honestly it's impressive that it's taken this long. She's had a lot on her plate this season, certainly more than I expected heading into the year, on both ends. Her shooting and cutting have been assets to the offense, while she's been peskier than anticipated defensively. Of late, Nye hasn't been able to knock down deep shots (26.9% on 3.3 attempts) or keep the ball in front defensively (1.04 PPP allowed on trips, 34.8 percent blow-by rate allowed). I think she's ultimately going to be fine—head coach Becky Hammon recently (re)expressed her confidence in her, for what it's worth—but I do wonder if her minutes are going to move at all considering how cramped the playoff picture is right now.

4. Indiana Fever (17-14)

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Previous Ranking: 7 (+3)

Since Last Ranking (5-3): 8th in offense, 8th in defense, 8th in net rating

Next Five Games: Sky, Wings, Mystics, @Sun, Lynx

Three Quick Thoughts

• I've talked about Aliyah Boston's growth and increased usage before, so I want to spend a little time on her (healthy) All-Star running mate. Kelsey Mitchell has been phenomenal as of late, and is making a legitimate All-WNBA because of it. She remains a bucket (21.4 points since the break), able to carve teams up with drives or bomb away from deep (38.5% on 8.1 attempts). I like the way the Fever have mixed in lower off-ball screens and handoffs for Mitchell in an effort to put more immediate strain on defenses, as well as simplify passing reads for her. On the latter point, she's gotten really good at threading the needle on quick-hitting pocket passes. Her 4.1 assists since the break may not sound like much, but that would be flirting with a career high (4.2 in 2022) if extrapolated across a full season. That, plus her peskier-than-usual defense across multiple player types have left me pretty impressed.

• Natasha Howard shook off a cold shooting start and has become an unsung hero of this team. Her random dives and seals have served as late-clock security blankets for the Fever's half-court offense. Her work on the offensive glass, and finishing post-rebound, have saved many possessions. Her activity defensively, and specifically her communication off the ball, have been invaluable to this unit. She's settled in as one of the most impactful free agent signings of the offseason.

• The post-break swoon from Lexie Hull (3.1 points, 12.9% on 3.9 attempts) would be a much bigger story if 1) she wasn't still defending her tail off and occupying defenses with timely cuts or 2) Sophie Cunningham wasn't hitting darn-near everything she tossed up. Seriously, Cunningham is shooting nearly 54 percent from three on roughly five attempts.

3. Los Angeles Sparks (14-15)

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Previous Ranking: 10 (+7)

Since Last Ranking (6-1): 2nd in offense, 12th in defense, 3rd in net rating

Next Five Games: @Valkyries, Storm, Liberty, @Wings, @Mystics

Three Quick Thoughts

• With all due respect to the praise I showered Sabrina Ionescu with in a previous slide, there may not be a better inside-the-arc show from a guard than Kelsey Plum right now. On a basic level, nobody has logged more drives than Plum since the break (108), and the Sparks have scored at an elite level (1.12 PPP) whenever she's pressed that button. But man, her mix of eurosteps, slow-steps, shoulder nudges, and improved playmaking—she's thrown some nonsense (complimentary) as of late—have made her nearly impossible to deal with. She's firmly in the All-WNBA mix.

• We're starting to see the vision of what this Sparks frontcourt can be. Rickea Jackson has been on a tear, scoring at all three levels (with some set play help from head coach Lynne Roberts) and quietly sprinkling in some nice interior passes. Dearica Hamby is playing at an All-WNBA level in her own right, finishing darn-near everything inside the arc while making hoops music with Plum in traditional and inverted setups. Azura Stevens remains a matchup problem with her blend of size, shooting, and driving ability. Cam Brink is finally back, and it didn't take much time for her to reestablish herself as one of the league's best rim protectors. There's a lot of size, skill, and versatility in this room.

• The Sparks do need to find something that works for them defensively. They've been one of the more aggressive defenses in the league this year, though it's noteworthy they've dialed things down a bit as of late. Them opting to be at the level of the screen before dropping back, opposed to hedging or flat-out blitzing at a high rate, feels like a nice middle ground for them if they can nail it. Getting the defense to slightly below average, instead of bad, could be enough to make them really dangerous in a playoff setting.

2. Atlanta Dream (19-11)

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Previous Ranking: 5 (+3)

Since Last Ranking (6-2): 3rd in offense, 5th in defense, 2nd in net rating

Next Five Games: @Mercury, @Storm, Storm, @Valkyries, @Aces

Three Quick Thoughts

• We can add this to the "Allisha Gray has been awesome" file: since the break, the Dream have generated 1.1 points per possession on trips featuring a Gray pick-and-roll. Among 31 players to run at least 75 ball screens, only Courtney Williams (1.19 PPP) has been more effective spearheading efficient offense in that way. Gray's really become tough to deal with. If you duck under, she will pull up from deep. Fight over the screen and she can lead the dance and get downhill. Try to send her down the sideline, and she'll either beat you to the spot and get downhill anyway, or wrong-foot you and lead you into the screen and put your defense in peril.

• I can't in good conscience argue that Naz Hillmon is Atlanta's best big. However, the amount of trust that head coach Karl Smesko has given her (her 30.1 minutes post-break rank third behind Gray and Jordan Canada), her productivity (12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists), and absurdly good on-off data (for however much you care about it) all scream "NAZ HILLMON IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT" at the very least. The threes haven't fallen as of late (28.6% on 5.3 attempts), but she's done virtually everything else. Go ahead and stamp her name for Sixth Player of the Year, and keep your eyes peeled for Most Improved Player love.

• While we wait for Rhyne Howard to return (get well soon!), some quick props are in order for: Jordan Canada's aggression (15.1 points, 7.0 assists, second in drives and pick-and-rolls initiated since the break), Brittney Griner's post-ups (an absurd 1.16 PPP on those trips), and Maya Caldwell's two-way excellence (7.4 points, 1.6 steals, 44% on 3.6 attempts from deep). This is how you step up while your star is out.

1. Minnesota Lynx (25-5)

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Previous Ranking: 1 (-)

Since Last Ranking (5-1): 1st in offense, 2nd in defense, 1st in net rating

Next Five Games: Mystics, @Liberty, Liberty, @Liberty, @Dream

Three Quick Thoughts

• Please get well soon, Napheesa Collier. She's slated to miss at least two weeks after a nasty ankle turn during the third quarter of a historic blow-out win over the Aces last weekend. You can't predict injuries of course, but that exact scenario is why I'm constantly yelling "get them out of there" when starters or important rotation pieces are on the floor when a game gets out of hand. Luckily for the Lynx, they've been pretty good this year when Collier has been off the floor or unavailable altogether (3-1 record). The real intrigue for me is what Collier's absence, however long it is, means for the MVP race. She's firmly been the league's best player this season, but Alyssa Thomas has a pretty strong MVP case in her own right and has some time to make up ground.

• It didn't take long for DiJonai Carrington to make an impact for the Lynx. The conversation around Carrington's stint in Dallas has been odd. I haven't enjoyed the "she's a destructive basketball player" or "Chris Koclanes ruined DiJonai Carrington" extremes; the truth, as it usually is, falls somewhere in the middle. The lack of infrastructure wasn't an ideal context for her on either end of the floor. She also didn't make great decisions while on the ball, and I was a bit peeved by some of her off-ball attentiveness defensively. In Minnesota, the team's structure—and how she fits into it on both ends—couldn't be more clear. It should come as no surprise that she was immediately impactful in her first game there. I would expect for that to continue, while keeping an eye on her overall shotmaking.

• I'm noting this because I've consistently pointed to the inverse: since the All-Star break, the Lynx lead the WNBA in rebound rate (55.4% of available rebounds). They've been monstrous on the offensive glass (35.3%, 2nd) and have ended possessions at a high clip (73.7%, 3rd). The center trio of Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Maria Kliundikova have all been huge, and even wings like Bridget Carleton (also draining nearly 52% of her threes) has gotten in on the offensive glass.