Table of Contents
We Have a Deal!
On March 18th, the WNBPA and the WNBA finally agreed on a term sheet for the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), meaning the season wouldn’t be delayed. On March 23rd, players voted unanimously to approve the terms, with 93% participation. The WNBA Board of Governors approved the deal the very next day.
The CBA runs for seven years, with a six-year opt-out in 2032, and the salary cap grows from $7 million to $11 million over the life of the deal. THIS IS THE FIRST REVENUE SHARING MODEL IN WOMEN’S SPORTS HISTORY!! AND IT’S BASED ON THE MFING GROSS!!!! WOMEN UP A MILLION !!!
While the WNBA having its first million-dollar players is a huge step forward, there’s still a healthy dose of skepticism. If the league continues on this trajectory, owners may have locked in a steal for the next six to seven years. Still, this is a monumental deal not only for the WNBA but for women’s sports in general.
Salary Cap
💰 $1.5M → $7M
11 Million by the end of the CBA
The WNBPA negotiated down from 9 million, and the WNBA up from 5 million
Top Salaries - First Million Dollar WNBA Players
Supermax: 🏆 $249K → $1.4M (like A’ja, Stewie, Phee)
Max: $214K → $1.19M
League Pay Growth
Minimum: $66K → $270K
Average: $583K
Revenue Share
📈 9.3% → 20%
Players receive 20% of the prior year’s gross revenue. Negotiated up from the WNBA’s proposal of <15% gross revenue!
Minimum Salaries (by Years of Service)
0 years: $270,000
1–3 years: $277,500
4–6 years: $285,000
7–9 years: $292,500
10+ years: $300,000
Minimum salaries increase 4% annually
Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC): This provision provides performance-based salary increases for lottery picks and players on rookie contracts who make All-WNBA or receive individual awards such as MVP, DPOY, or similar honors. Rookies who get MVP automatically become eligible for the supermax in their 4th year, for example.
There are now increased benefits for winning individual awards and making the playoffs
Salary Readjustment
Players on existing contracts will have their salaries readjusted to the appropriate amount.
For example, Caitlin Clark, who was Rookie of the Year, the first pick of the draft, and made All-WNBA, will see her salary jump from $78,000 to $530,000.
Players like Lexie Brown, who currently makes the veteran minimum of $98,818, will make around $285,000 to $300,000.
WNBA Season Changes
⏰ Report date moves up to April 15
(was May 1… Overseas playoffs will definitely be impacted)
📆 Season can run through late November
(was October 31. Necessary change for longer seasons and season pauses for the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics)
🏀 Up to 52 games in a season by the end of the deal- (3 more expansion teams)
Minimum standards for practice facilities and team staffing across the league
Facility Standards & Upgrades
Established minimum standards for practice facilities and team staffing
Nursing rooms and dedicated family spaces at team home arenas (starting 2027)
Team-exclusive locker rooms with sufficient bathrooms, showers, and lockers
Regulation WNBA basketball court available for private team use
Separate, private weight room and cardio training area
Dedicated medical and treatment room
YOU’RE ON THE CLOCK, CHICAGO!! NO MORE PARKS AND REC!!
Key Accommodations And Benefits
Travel and Housing
Charter flights have been officially codified
League-provided housing to all players through 2028
Through 2030, they will only be available to players making 500,000 or less
Retirement Benefits
Increased 401(k) contributions and enhanced life insurance benefits
One-time payment for WNBA retired players based on years of service
100K (12+ years)
50K (8-11 years )
30K (5-7 years)
@justwomenssports The new CBA agreement didn't only impact current and future players, but also the retired players who built the W 💜 Presented by @Intuit T... See more
Family Planning & Support
2 weeks paid leave for non-birthing parents (teams can offer more)
Players can travel with children 13 and under + receive an extra hotel room
Family planning benefits now available after 2+ years of service
(previously 8+ years and did not include partners/spouses)Players will now have to approve trades if a team is trying to trade them while pregnant.
Read more below:
The One Month Off-Season
Because the term sheet was submitted at the last possible moment, the entire offseason will now take place between March 27th and Opening Day on May 8th. We can assume teams have been preparing, so they probably already know who they’re going to protect in the expansion draft, who they’re going to core, and which free agents they plan to re-sign or pursue.
Expect things to move quickly, especially during the free agency signing period. Many things will likely stay the same. Due to the compressed timeline, we may even see free agents sign short-term deals so they can be more strategic next offseason in determining their next move.
This issue will focus mostly on the expansion draft. Next week, we’ll cover the rest of the free agency landscape!
Expansion Draft (March 27th - April 3rd)
March 27th– The Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo will flip a coin at 3:30 PM on ESPN to determine who gets the first pick in the expansion draft. The team that loses gets the 1st pick in the second round.
The team that loses the coin flip will get the 6th pick in the regular WNBA Draft, while the other gets 7th.
March 29th - Existing Teams can only protect 5 players. Their protected list is due Sunday, March 29th. This list is kept confidential from the public AND players
This includes: Active Players, Suspended Players, Draft Rights Players, Core players, and retired players ( If rights still held)
Originally, players who had been cored twice were protected from the expansion draft. However, the updated rules state that players who were cored twice and are unrestricted free agents are now eligible to be taken. What’s more, only the expansion team can offer that player a supermax contract, meaning the team they were previously on can’t coax them to stay with a supermax offer.
Under the old rules, the Liberty did not have to protect JJ or Stewie. Now they do.
This really shakes up a lot of teams’ strategies because it makes players like Bri Jones, BG, Nneka, Tina Charles, and others eligible for the expansion draft.
April 2-5- Expansion Draft
RULES:
Snake Draft
The team with the #1 pick in Round 1 gets #2 in Round 2
The other team gets the opposite
They will alternate picks
How Selection Works
A very interesting update is that an expansion team can pick twice from one team, BUT if they do, that means the other expansion team can’t pick from that team at all. Existing Teams can only lose 2 players max.
They will receive the player’s contract or rights
They can also SKIP a team if they don’t see anybody they want (Last year, the Valkyries skipped Seattle )
Another thing I clarified: It's one pick from any given existing team in each round, but that can be from either Portland or Toronto. So, two players from the same existing team could be selected by the same expansion team. The Tempo could take a Mystic in both Rounds 1 and 2, for example. #WNBA
— Richard Cohen (@richardcohen.bsky.social) 2026-03-26T02:09:39.588Z
Potential Unrestricted Free Agent (PUFA)
A Player with:
5+ years of Service
AND no current contract for 2026
An expansion team can only select one of these players in the draft
These players can be chosen even if they have used up their core designation.
If they pick someone who used up their core, they are the only team that can offer them a supermax contract.
Those who haven’t used their core can be cored by the expansion team ie Sabrina Ionescu, if she were to be left unprotected
So drafting them = exclusive negotiating rights, not guaranteed players. Players are free to say no and negotiate with other teams in the free agency period.
Pre Draft Trades
Expansion teams can agree to draft a player and immediately flip them to another team (they can’t trade back to the team they took the player from)
Example: Seattle protects Gabby Williams but wants Kennedy Burke, and New York won’t trade her. If NY leaves KB unprotected, Seattle could make a deal with Toronto or Portland for them to select KB, then trade Gabby to that team in exchange for KB.
They can agree to select or not select a player from the trading team’s Unprotected List
My predictions below are really going to be hit or miss because we don’t really know what the teams’ goals are. Do they want to contend now? Do they want vets who can build a culture? Do they want young prospects to start from scratch? All of these questions come into play.
Another thing that will come into play is that free agency starts right after, so the expansion team can be more strategic in the draft by picking younger players on contracts or reserved rights, and then pursue their main targets in free agency. The expansion draft is not the end-all, be-all for building their team.
I’ve listed one possible UFA pick for each. Since the teams can only pick ONE UFA the entire draft, you will see more teams with players under contract get double picked vs teams with more UFAs
Predictions
Teams | Protecting | Prime Expansion Targets | Taking |
|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta Dream | Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, Pao Pao, Bri Jones | Maya Caldwell, Brittney Griner, Jordin Canada, Taylor Thierrey, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Nia Coffey, | Jordin Canada (UFA), Maya Caldwell |
Chicago Sky | Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Ariel Atkins, Maddy Westbeld, Ajsa Sivka | Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, Michaela Onyenwere, Elizabeth Williams, Rachel Banham, Sevgi Uzun, HVL | Elizabeth Williams (UFA), HVL (I think they won’t pick anybody) |
Connecticut Sun | Marina Mabery, Saniya Rivers, Leila Lacan, Aneesah Morrow, Aaliyah Edwards | Tina Charles, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Bria Hartley, Raya Marshall, Mamignan Toure | Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Raya Marshall |
Dallas Wings | Paige Beuckers, Arike Ogunbowale, Aziaha James, Luisa Geiselsöder, Maddy Siegrist | Diamond Miller, Ty Harris, JJ Quinerly, Li Yueru, Amy Okonkwo, Awak Kuier | Diamond Miller, Awak Kuier |
Golden State Valkyries | Janelle Salaün, Veronica Burton, Carla Leite, Iliana Rupert, Cecilia Zandalasini, | Leaticia Amihere, Kaitlyn Chen, Temi Fagbenele, Monique Billings, Maria Conde, Kate Martin, Kayla Thornton | Monique Billings (UFA), Kaitlyn Chen |
Indiana Fever | Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson | Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, Damiris Dantas, Syd Colsen, Bri Turner, Aari McDonald, Chloe Biby, Oydessy Sims | Sophie Cunningham (UFA), Damiris Dantas |
Las Vegas Aces | A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, NaLyssa Smith, Aaliyah Nye | Dana Evans, Meg Gustafson, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Kiah Stokes | Dana Evans(UFA), Megan Gustafson (UFA) |
Los Angeles Sparks | Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Plum, Azurá Stevens, Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson | Rae Burrell, Julie Allemand, Sania Feagin, Alissa Pili, Julie Vanloo | Sania Feagin, Julie Allemand (UFA) Possibility: Azurá Stevens |
Minnesota Lynx | Napheesa Collier, Alanna Smith, Dorka Juhasz, Kayla McBride, Natisha Hiedeman | Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton, Jessica Shepard, Jaylyn Sherrod, Dijonai Carrington, Maria Kliundikova | Courtney Williams (UFA), Maria Kliundikova |
New York Liberty | Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Leoine Fiebich, Raquel Carrera, Nyara Sabally | JJ, Stewie, Han Xu, Marine Johannes, Kennedy Burke | Marine Johannes and Han Xu |
Phoneix Mercury | Kahleah Cooper, Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, Monique Akoa Makani, Natasha Mack | Lexi Held, Sami Whitcomb, Kitija Laksa, DeWanna Bonner, Kiana Williams | Kitija Laksa, Lexi Held (Or Sami) |
Seattle Storm | Gabby Williams, Dominique Malonga, Jordan Horston, Ezi Magbegor, Skylar Diggins | Nneka Ogwumike, Brittney Sykes, Lexie Brown, Erica Wheeler, Mackenzie Holmes, Zia Cooke | Brittney Sykes (UFA), Mackenzie Holmes (I think they won’t pick anybody or offer Nneka the supermax) |
Washington Mystics | Shakira Austin, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Sug Sutton, Georgia Amoore | Jade Melbourne, Jacy Shelon, Madison Scott, Lucy Olsen, Emily Engstler, | Lucy Olsen, Jade Melbourne (UFA) |
Quick Thoughts for my reasoning
Atlanta Dream: Maya is a no-brainer pick. JC is a good UFA if there are no other point guards available that pique interest. Good championship-winning vet.
Chicago Sky: I saved Ajsa Sivka because she was the 10th pick in the WNBA Draft last year. Worth seeing what she can do. Overall, if Westbeld isn’t protected, she could be picked. If not, Chicago will be skipped.
Connecticut Sun: I chose to save Aneesah Morrow over ONO because ONO is kind of stunted with Tina and Aaliyah Edwards there. She needs a fresh start.
Dallas Wings: If Arike is left unprotected, she will be a UFA pick. I think she should be unprotected because she needs a fresh start, and so does Dallas. Plus, it would be foolish for an expansion team to pass her up.
Golden State Valkyries- This team is going to get fleeced, no two ways about it. I can see either expansion team choosing to forgo picking from another team just to pick from Golden State twice. Hell, Portland fleeced half of Golden State’s front office lmfao. I don’t think they should waste a protection on Kayla Thornton. She is older and coming off a torn meniscus, not worth it.
Indiana Fever: This will be a no-brainer on who to protect. The real question is Sophie or Lexie. It is about to be dos leches over there.
Las Vegas Aces: Easiest protected list of all time lol.
Los Angeles Sparks: The Sparks dilemma is, do you protect the vets or invest in the youth? Do you protect Azurá, who could essentially walk away for nothing, or would require a supermax via a core? Or do you save someone like Sania Feagin, who went off in the WNBL? Youth is also cheaper if you have to pay KP and Hamby bank.
Minnesota Lynx: Bye, Courtney
New York Liberty: I left Stewie and JJ unprotected. I don’t know if it is smart, but Stewie is not leaving. She is very adamant about returning to New York. She said it right after the season ended, and she was just on The View giving out Liberty hats. It would be dumb to choose her. JJ, I do not know. I think she wants to stay, but who knows, she could leave for a supermax somewhere. I think our GM will definitely coordinate with the Big 3. But Nyara and Raquel are two young pieces worth protecting. Also, Sab can be cored by an expansion team, so we can’t leave her vulnerable.
Phoenix Mercury: Bye, Lexi Held
Seattle Storm: I think they’re getting skipped again
Washington Mystics: Easy protect list. Will lose some solid mainstays, but not the end of the world.
Sabreena don’t be knowing shit but this is an interesting list
Media Highlights
How the players feel!
