WNBA and Union Agree to Freeze Free Agency As CBA Talks Drag On

WNBA players and owners have agreed to a moratorium freezing free agency, multiple sources told Front Office Sports on Monday evening, as the sides continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. 

The league’s initial moratorium proposal was made at roughly 11 p.m. on Friday. The union felt it contained “unnecessary” language beyond simply delaying free agency, according to a source familiar with negotiations. It looked to remove that language in a counterproposal sent over the weekend. 

The WNBPA received a response from the league Monday afternoon and accepted it. The moratorium will apply specifically to free agency, sources told FOS, including the sending out of qualifying offers, core designations, signings, and all negotiations. An email was sent to front office executives on Monday evening explaining the terms of the moratorium, league sources told FOS. The free-agency pause will end once a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified.

WNBA free agency technically began Sunday, despite the league and union remaining at odds over a new collective bargaining agreement.  

The glitch in the system is the result of the Jan. 9 deadline passing with no deal, no agreement to an extension, and no work stoppage, which pushed negotiations into a period of status quo. This means that both sides can continue negotiations under the conditions of the current CBA, which included free agency before the moratorium. 

During a typical free-agency period, qualifying offers, including core designations—similar to the NFL franchise tag—could begin being sent out on Jan. 11. Restricted qualifying offers are sent to free agents on an expiring contract with four years of service or a player finishing the fourth year of their rookie scale contract. This offer—which comes with a one-year contract and gives the player’s previous team the right to match any competing offer—prevents them from becoming unrestricted free agents and designates them a restricted free agent. 

The core designation, which the union has proposed removing, is used to give a team control of a player’s rights who would otherwise become an unrestricted free agent. It comes with a one-year supermax contract fully guaranteed. Beginning in 2022 a player could not be cored more than twice in their career. 

Last week the WNBA contacted every team’s front office to advise them that they can begin sending out qualifying offers and core designations under the expired agreement. The reaction from sources across the league was one of confusion and frustration. Multiple league sources told FOS that offers would be meaningless, as no players would sign them with an overhaul to the salary system being negotiated. 

Lexie Brown and Kalani Brown are the only players not on rookie contracts signed through 2026. 

Outside of the moratorium on free agency, the conditions of the current CBA will remain in place as both sides continue negotiations. 

In this period of status quo either side could initiate a work stoppage without advance notice. A lockout would be initiated by the owners and a strike by the players. The WNBPA cast a near-unanimous vote to authorize a strike in December. Stewart said over Unrivaled’s opening weekend that a strike was not an immediate threat, but a measure the players are keeping in their “back pocket.” 

A source familiar with the matter told FOS the league is not considering a lockout at this point.