WNBA free agency will begin in a few weeks — and in turn, the fate of standout free agents like Kelsey Plum, Kelsey Mitchell, and Brittney Griner will soon be decided.
If you’re hoping to follow along, but aren’t sure where to start, here are the key dates, and terms to know:
Jan. 11-20: Teams can make qualifying offers and “core” player designations.
Teams can use the core designation to gain exclusive negotiation rights with a player, even unrestricted free agents — but players can only be cored twice throughout their careers. As such, the only free agents in the 2024 class who are ineligible to be cored are DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut Sun), Tina Charles (Atlanta Dream), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Natasha Howard (Dallas Wings), Brionna Jones (Sun), and Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm).
Core players are offered a one-year supermax contract worth around $294K. Players can either sign that one-year deal with their existing team or sign it under the pretense of a trade request (so the team signing them at least gets something in return rather than watching one of their top free agents walk). Several star players could realistically be cored, including Alyssa Thomas and Kelsey Mitchell.
Then, there are reserved players — those with three or fewer years of WNBA service who are on an expiring contract. Teams will have until Jan. 20 to extend reserved players a qualifying offer, or they’ll become unrestricted free agents. There are 22 reserved players in the WNBA, a list that includes Veronica Burton (reserved), Emily Engstler (reserved), Julie Vanloo (reserved),
Jan. 21: Teams can begin negotiating with free agents, but can’t formally sign any deals
Feb. 1: Players can officially sign contracts
Expect a big wave of signings on February 1st, and the subsequent dates. Some players — like Breanna Stewart, who has made clear she wants to stay in New York — will very likely sign contracts right away on February 1st.
Every WNBA team’s free agents:
Atlanta Dream: Free agents: Cheyenne Parker-Tyus (unrestricted), Aerial Powers (unrestricted), Tina Charles (unrestricted), Lorela Cubaj (reserved), Maya Caldwell (reserved)
Connecticut Sun: Alyssa Thomas (unrestricted), Brionna Jones (unrestricted), DeWanna Bonner (unrestricted), Tiffany Mitchell (unrestricted), Astou Ndour-Fall (unrestricted), DiJonai Carrington (restricted), Caitlin Bickle (reserved)
Chicago Sky: Isabelle Harrison (unrestricted), Brianna Turner (unrestricted), Diamond DeShields (unrestricted), Chennedy Carter (restricted), Michaela Onyenwere (restricted), Dana Evans (restricted)
Dallas Wings: Satou Sabally (unrestricted), Natasha Howard (unrestricted), Jaelyn Brown (reserved), Sevgi Uzun (reserved)
Golden State Valkryies: Temi Fagbenle (restricted), Veronica Burton (reserved), Cecilia Zandalasini (reserved), Julie Vanloo (reserved), Monique Billings (unrestricted)
Indiana Fever: Kelsey Mitchell (unrestricted), Erica Wheeler (unrestricted)
Los Angeles Sparks: Kia Nurse (unrestricted), Aari McDonald (restricted), Li Yueru (reserved)
Las Vegas Aces: Kelsey Plum (unrestricted), Alysha Clark (unrestricted), Tiffany Hayes (unrestricted), Sydney Colson (unrestricted), Queen Egbo (reserved)
Minnesota Lynx: Myisha Hines-Allen (unrestricted), Natisha Hiedeman (unrestricted), Olivia Epoupa (reserved)
New York Liberty: Breanna Stewart (unrestricted), Courtney Vandersloot (unrestricted), Kennedy Burke (unrestricted), Ivan Dojkic (reserved), Jaylyn Sherrod (reserved)
Phoenix Mercury: Diana Taurasi (unrestricted), Brittney Griner (unrestricted), Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (reserved), Natasha Mack (reserved), Charisma Osborne (reserved), Celeste Taylor (reserved), Amy Atwell (reserved)
Seattle Storm: Nneka Ogwumike (unrestricted), Gabby Williams (unrestricted), Mercedes Russell (unrestricted), Sami Whitcomb (unrestricted), Joyner Holmes (unrestricted), Victoria Vivians (unrestricted)
Washington Mystics: Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (unrestricted), Emily Engstler (reserved), Sug Sutton (reserved)
