The WNBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, and it’s particularly intriguing given the backdrop of the league’s CBA negotiations.
About 80% of the league’s players will be free agents next offseason in preparation for a huge increase in the salary cap and player salaries (assuming a work stoppage doesn’t derail the 2026 season). Theoretically, that could result in a ton of movement given the potential for chaos in the offseason.
However, trades could also be viewed as riskier since teams who part ways with draft capital or young talent may do so for a player who bolts in free agency.
Any moves before Thursday afternoon could also factor into the decision-making of a team’s pool of protected players for the expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.
There are also some additional nuances about the WNBA’s trade and cap structure that differ from other leagues like the NBA, first pointed out by Her Hoops Stats. The most notable is that teams do not have to match salaries to facilitate a trade—meaning max players can be traded for minimum salary players—as long as both teams stay under the $1.51 million salary cap.
Done Deals
There’s still more than 24 hours until the trade deadline, but there have already been a couple of high-profile deals that have bolstered some of the league’s best teams:
- Minnesota Lynx receive: DiJonai Carrington
Dallas Wings receive: Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson, and a 2027 second-round pick - Seattle Storm receive: Brittney Sykes
Washington Mystics receive: Alysha Clark and a 2026 first-round pick
Carrington, the 2024 Most Improved Player, struggled to find her place in Dallas but could be another weapon for one of the title favorites. Minnesota holds the WNBA’s best record, though MVP front-runner Napheesa Collier is out for at least two weeks due to injury.
Sykes adds a fourth All-Star to the Storm, who are sixth in the league at 16–13 and trying to break into the upper echelon of contenders.
Names Worth Watching
The Mystics may not be done dealing. While the team is in the hunt for one of the last playoff spots, Tuesday’s trade shows they are looking toward building for the future around rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.
Forward Aaliyah Edwards has been in trade rumors throughout the season. The No. 6 pick in the 2024 draft was injured throughout training camp and fell behind Iriafen in the rotation, but she could be a compelling option for teams looking for a young piece.
The Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun—who have the two worst records in the WNBA—are the two most likely teams to be sellers at the deadline. They both have starting guards who could help a contender in search of a player to get them over the hump.
The Sun have Marina Mabrey, who requested a trade in February that the team denied, while the Sky have Ariel Atkins, whom they acquired for the No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft that turned into Citron.
