What's at Stake Entering Wildest WNBA Offseason in History
The Las Vegas Aces have won three of the past four WNBA titles after a 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in the 2025 Finals. What's next for the WNBA is anyone's guess, as it's heading into the most chaotic and pivotal offseason in league history.
The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Oct. 31, and the two sides appear far away from a new deal at the moment. The relationship between the players and league has seemingly declined in recent months, which was on full display when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier issued a scathing statement about WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Whenever the WNBA and the players' union come to terms on a new CBA, attention will turn to free agency. Nearly 80 percent of the league's players are set to become free agents, which sets the stage for an unprecedented signing period.
The New York Liberty, Dallas Wings and Seattle Storm have coaching vacancies to fill, too. That could impact their free-agent plans, as most players will presumably want to know whom they'll be playing for.
As far as players are concerned, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese would like to know who her teammates will be next season in the wake of her recent public criticism.
Just another day in the WNBA? No. This is shaping up for a wild offseason ride.
All Roads Lead to the CBA
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The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Oct. 31, but the league and players appear far away from making a deal. Multiple players have expressed that there's a broken relationship between them and the league office.
The players want a greater share of the WNBA's overall revenue, which appears to be the main sticking point. According to Front Office Sports' Annie Costabile, the "the latest model offered by the league is similar to the current CBA, in which revenue-sharing is triggered only if league revenue exceeds certain targets, sources say."
However, WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN in early August that the players were "adamant that we get a percentage of revenue that grows with the business, which perhaps includes team revenue."
The WNBA reportedly proposed bumping up the veteran minimum from $78,831 to roughly $300,000 in the new CBA's first year, according to Costabile, while the supermax would jump from roughly $249,000 to nearly $850,000. Either way, players are poised to cash in on the WNBA's unprecedented growth in recent years.
Where the two sides land on revenue sharing is the first domino that needs to fall into place, though.
Free-Agency Frenzy
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After the WNBA has a new CBA in place, the free-agent floodgates will open like never before. Other than players on rookie contracts and those who pick up core designations, most of the league will hit the free-agent market at once this offseason.
The players are eyeing a large jump in pay given the WNBA's newly signed 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal. If the core designation remains in place, players like Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Mitchell and Gabby Williams could be facing it from New York, Indiana and Seattle, respectively.
Big names who will hit the market but likely won't go anywhere include Minnesota's Napheesa Collier and Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson.
Phoenix star Alyssa Thomas will command a strong stock in free agency after an incredible year. Whether she stays in Phoenix, which is coming off a WNBA Finals loss, is to be seen, but Thomas' market will be closely followed.
With new coaches heading to New York and Seattle, Breanna Stewart and Gabby Williams' markets will be ones to watch as well. Stewart indicated she will return to the Liberty next season, but the pen has yet to be put to paper.
Beyond that, a slew of talented players could be on the move, including Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Ezi Magbegor (Storm) and Kahleah Copper (Mercury).
Check out our big board for a full free-agency rundown. A full list of WNBA free agents can be found here.
How Long Will Angel Reese Last in Chicago?
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The Chicago Sky will be one of the more interesting teams to watch this offseason after Angel Reese put her teammates and front office on blast late in the year. She also questioned Courtney Vandersloot's ability to come back from a torn ACL at her age.
"I'm not settling for the same s--t we did this year," Reese told Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. "We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That's a non-negotiable for me.
"I'm willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that's what I'm going to do this offseason. So it's going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can't settle for what we have this year."
It didn't help that those sentiments came during a campaign in which the Sky were tied with the Dallas Wings for the league's worst record at 10-34. Chicago suspended her for a half-game, and she apologized for her comments.
Reese is one of the biggest personalities in the league. She provides a huge lift on both ends of the floor for Chicago with 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
After the Chicago Tribune interview was published, many around the league began to wonder whether the Sky would move on from Reese this offseason. General manager Jeff Pagliocca told reporters in mid-September that "until I hear differently, that's the direction we're going to move, is that she's on the roster."
But if there's any more smoke, there might be fire.
Caitlin Clark and Indiana's Offseason Regroup
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The Indiana Fever got wrecked by the injury bug this past season. Caitlin Clark played only 13 games due to ankle and groin injuries. Aari McDonald, who stepped in to replace her, suffered a broken bone in her right foot. The Fever also lost Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Chloe Bibby to season-ending injuries.
Despite all of that, they still finished only one game short of the WNBA Finals.
In their winner-take-all Game 5 against the Las Vegas Aces, star guard Kelsey Mitchell went down with rhabdomyolysis, which left her with numbness in her legs. Despite being without Mitchell, Clark and Co., the injury-ravaged Fever still managed to force overtime before succumbing to the eventual champions.
If Indiana doesn't give Mitchell its core designation, she figures to attract a ton of free-agent interest. She finished fifth in MVP voting after averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game this season.
If the Fever retain Mitchell and dodge the injury bug next year, they should be right back in the title mix.
A Coaching Change Is A'Comin'
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After the 2024 season, a majority of the league's coaches (not including the Golden State Valkyries) were out of a job. Now, one season after New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello ushered in the team's first title, she finds herself back on the market.
While New York struggled in the 2025 postseason, many were surprised that general manager Jonathan Kolb axed the winningest head coach in team history following a first-round exit. Brondello went 107-53 in her four seasons in New York. Since the team's inception, no coach has lasted more than six years.
The Liberty aren't the only team with a coaching vacancy. The Dallas Wings fired Chris Koclanes after the team finished 10-34, which was tied for the WNBA's worst record. The Seattle Storm also announced that they weren't renewing the contract of Noelle Quinn.
The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, the two expansion teams beginning play in 2026, also have coaching openings. Being the first coach in a team's history could be an attractive selling point to some candidates on the open market.
However, the Liberty and Wings jobs are the most intriguing given the Liberty's star power and the Wings' young talent with Paige Bueckers and guard Maddie Siegrist.
Welcome Portland and Toronto
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The Golden State Valkyries set the standard this season for what a successful expansion team can look like if things go right on and off the court. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo can only hope to follow suit next year.
While the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto hasn't been announced, the Valkyries held their draft in December 2024. The other 12 WNBA teams compiled a pool of unprotected players for Golden State to choose from to build its inaugural roster.
It's unclear whether Portland and Toronto will have separate drafts or a combined draft where both teams select players. The league presumably won't finalize those details until it has a new CBA in place.
Portland and Toronto don't have to build their rosters exclusively through the expansion draft. They have the option to sign free agents just like other teams.
Even that process hangs in the balance of a new CBA, though. Last season's free-agency period began Jan. 11, and contracts could be signed as early as Feb. 1.
Who Will Go No. 1 in 2026?
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The college basketball season will tip off Nov. 3. As of now, there is not a clear front-runner for the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft next April.
It was no secret that Caitlin Clark would be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, followed by Paige Bueckers in 2025. But the top of the 2026 draft is up for grabs, especially with USC guard Juju Watkins injured and not draft-eligible until 2027.
UCLA's Lauren Betts has a strong case to be the top overall pick. Betts is nearly averaging a double-double for her career with 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
The league has yet to announce a date for the WNBA draft lottery or the draft, although the draft usually happens in April. Betts could be teaming up with Bueckers in 2026 since the Dallas Wings have the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick, according to CBS Sports.
Dallas went 19-65 over the last two seasons combined. The league awards the best odds to the team with the worst two-year cumulative record.
Bueckers' girlfriend, Azzi Fudd, is finishing her career at UConn this year. Should Betts not go No. 1, Fudd also has a chance to be the top pick. ESPN has Fudd listed at No. 2 in Michael Voepel's mock draft from April.
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