WNBA, WNBPA Reportedly Could Agree to Extend CBA Negotiations Into November

The WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association may extend their deadline to negotiate the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement, according to ESPN's Kendra Andrews and Alexa Philippou.

"A league source told ESPN last week they did not believe a new deal would be agreed upon by the Halloween deadline but was optimistic that a work stoppage would not come into fruition," the report said.

The source asserted that "a work stoppage doesn't benefit anybody."

"I don't know exactly how far people are off," they said. "But generally, when I've seen these things, usually as it comes closer to crunch time, everybody kind of moves a little bit closer together, and we can get to a deal that's reasonable enough."

Negotiations over a new CBA were always going to be contentious.

The WNBA signed a new media rights deal, which goes into effect in 2026, that significantly raises the revenue coming into the league. Players will be looking for an increase in their salaries that reflects the WNBA's stronger financial position.

That's in addition to addressing other issues such as prioritization and family benefits in the CBA.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who's a vice president in the union, upped the ante with her exit interview after the Lynx's season ended. She said the WNBA has "the worst leadership in the world" and relayed conversations she had with commissioner Cathy Engelbert in which Engelbert purportedly diminished the value of young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to the league.

The commissioner responded days later to say she was "was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league, and me personally, do not care about them or listen to them."

Andrews and Philippou reported that player salaries are the biggest sticking point at the bargaining table right now:

"The WNBPA is pushing for a system where the percentage of revenue going toward salaries grows with the business. In the NBA, for example, the salary cap is determined by the basketball-related income (BRI), with players taking in about half of that mark as dictated by their CBA.

"WNBA players say the league's proposals, by contrast, feature a salary cap that increases by a fixed rate over time — which is how it is set up in the current CBA, with annual 3% raises."

NBA commissioner Adam Silver — the NBA is a 42% stakeholder in the WNBA — said Tuesday on Today that players should secure a "big increase" in their earnings and "deserve it."

A work stoppage would threaten to halt some of the momentum that has been built in recent years.

Delaying the start of the league year, even if doesn't impact the regular season, would also create headaches with the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo entering the WNBA. The league has yet to finalize how the Fire and Tempo will fill out their rosters, be it through an expansion draft or straight free agency with so many players hitting the open market.