WNBA Free Agency 2026 Top Rumors on Contracts, Trades Before Official Start Date

While the WNBA is on the precipice of a free-agent bonanza unlike any other in its history, fans may want to temper their expectations for how much the league hierarchy is upended.

Veteran players prepared for the inevitability of a new collective bargaining agreement reflecting the significant jump in revenue from media rights deals. Phoenix Mercury center Kalani Brown and Seattle Storm guard Lexie Brown are the only vets signed to a contract.

Everyone else is either on a rookie deal or hitting the open market.

In theory, the WNBA could see a ton of roster movement. That can still happen, but the early indications point toward the marquee stars staying put.

Wilson in Line for Aces Supermax

The WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association only had a verbal agreement on the CBA before the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Callie Fin reported on March 18 the Las Vegas Aces are expected to offer the supermax to A'ja Wilson.

That would give the four-time MVP a salary of $1.4 million starting with the 2026 season.

Wilson subsequently confirmed her plans to re-sign with Vegas.

"I'm not looking. I know exactly where I am. I love Vegas. I'm not leaving Vegas," she told reporters on April 3. "I'm looking to win another one. I'm looking to defend a championship that we have in Las Vegas. I'm looking to get better as a leader, as a player. Everything else just kind of falls in line."

When it comes to the reigning champions, there's at least some intrigue in how the Aces build the roster around Wilson.

Running it back with Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray as the Big Three is the obvious play. What about six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd? Do they actually try to get a bit younger and move on from the 33-year-old Gray?

Wilson's blistering finish to the regular season helped paper over Las Vegas' lack of depth. The team finished fifth in net rating (plus-3.9), per WNBA.com.

Rather than continuing with the superteam approach, perhaps the Aces see this as an opportunity to construct a more balanced squad from top to bottom.

Stewart, Ionescu Returning to Big Apple

Like Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu have already tipped their hands as to their plans when free agency is officially open.

Stewart announced on her Game Recognize Game podcast with co-host Myles Turner she's extending her tenure with the New York Liberty.

"I'm gonna just set the record straight here: I will be staying in New York," she said at the 35:36 mark of the episode. "I'm not planning on taking any free agency meetings, even though I am an unrestricted free agent. My family is set up here, we're solid here... I'm gonna be back in New York, and that's all there is to it."

Ionescu followed her teammate's lead.

"Obviously I'm where I'm supposed to be," she said on April 1. "Never thought anything different, and so excited to be able to sign and get started. It's coming up really quickly, so excited to get all this behind us and just be able to start our season and get going in New York."

New York is in a similar position to Las Vegas were the top end of its roster looks settled, but there are a few different paths for general manager Jonathan Kolb beyond that.

Having won the title she coveted in 2024, Jonquel Jones might be ready to transition back to the lead role on a team of her own.

Between Betnijah Laney-Hamilton suffering a season-ending injury and Kayla Thornton going to the Golden State Valkyries in the 2025 expansion draft, New York lacked the wing help that proved important in triumphing in the 2024 Finals. Finding the necessary reinforcements will be complicated if Stewart and Ionescu — and possibly Jones — sign for the supermax.

Knowing Stewart and Ionescu are returning provides Kolb with some reassurance. He and first-year coach Chris DeMarco still have a lot to discuss in terms of personnel.

Making Sense of the Expansion Draft

The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo staged the expansion draft on April 3, and they each made 11 picks. Here are the results from the exercise:

Portland Fire Expansion Picks

• Sarah Ashlee Barker, G
• Chloe Bibby, F
• Maya Caldwell, G
• Bridget Carleton, F
• Emily Engstler, F
• Luisa Geiselsöder, C
• Haley Jones, F/G
• Carla Leite, G
• Nika Mühl, G
• Nyadiew Puoch, F
• Sug Sutton, G

Toronto Tempo Expansion Picks

• Julie Allemand, G
• María Conde, F
• Lexi Held, G
• Adja Kane, F
• Maria Kliundikova, F
• Kitija Laksa, G
• Marina Mabrey, G
• Nikolina Milić, F
• Aaliyah Nye, G/F
• Nyara Sabally, C
• Kristy Wallace, G

It remains to be seen how many of those players wind up playing for the Fire or Tempo, though, because many in the group need to be signed.

In the case of Bridget Carleton and Marina Mabrey, they're unrestricted free agents and open to go anywhere they want. Portland and Toronto are afforded the advantages that come with having a UFA reach the market. They can offer more money than any other team, which might not count as much for an expansion franchise likely headed toward a tough season.

All total, five players from the expansion draft are under contract: Sarah Ashlee Barker, Carla Leite, Nika Mühl, Aaliyah Nye and Nyara Sabally. Mühl won't debut for the Fire until 2027 after she suffered a torn ACL while playing for Croatia in EuroBasket qualifying.

Both Portland and Toronto have the flexibility to spend big in free agency. The same was true for the Valkyries, though, and they struck out in their pursuit of Kelsey Plum last offseason.

All-Stars may wait to see what kind of infrastructures the Fire and Tempo have put in place before they consider either as a viable option.