Apr 08, 2026
3 min read
2026 will mark a historic period of free agency in the WNBA.
After months of uncertainty that we would even have a WNBA season, free agency is finally here.It will be an unprecedented free agency period, both in terms of the available free agents and the cashing out of their salaries.
After months of negotiations between the WNBA and the WNBPA, the league and the players' union have reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement set for the next seven years.Under the new CBA, the WNBA's salary cap will increase from $1.5 million to $7 million — meaning the league's spending in free agency will reach an all-time high.
The first breaking news about the WNBA free hit on Monday, when the Chicago Sky traded All-Star Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream.The Sky received the Dream's first-round picks from 2027 and 2028, while the Dream received Reese and the right to trade a second-round pick with the Sky in the 2028 WNBA Draft.
As for the players, there's no shortage of elite star power in free agency — although how many will be "available" to negotiate as they try the free market.
Liberty made a major qualifying offer to Ionescu on Tuesday — a fully guaranteed, one-year supermax deal worth $1.4 million under the new CBA.The Minnesota Lynx also made a special offer to star Napheesa Collier before the deadline.
Most of the league's vets are smartly tying up their contracts to become free agents in 2026, meaning the talent pool is deep and most teams' lineups could be very different this year, especially in the wake of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire expansion drafts.
Check out our team-by-team review of the top free agents from each team here.
Follow along with Yahoo as the WNBA opens free agency after the league's historic CBA negotiations:
Did Satou Sabally leave Mercury?
It looks like Sato Sabli Phoenix will be one and done for Mercury.Annie Costabile of the front office reported that the All-Star forward is not expected to re-sign with Parry and is meeting with several teams in the coming days.
Sale is not expected to re-sign with Mercury, multiple sources tell me.Meetings with several teams are expected in the coming days, with negotiations opening tomorrow.
Sophie Cunningham is coming to a television near you
Sophie Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent and just signed with a new team.But not a WNBA team.
The WNBA veteran said Tuesday that she will serve as a studio analyst for the USA Network this season. She did not retire as a player, however, and the gig was part of her outdoor career, according to Scott Agnes of the Fieldhouse Files.
Complete list of current main offers
According to the WNBA transaction report, the following players have received major offers:
Alisha Gray - Atlanta Dream
The real Magbegor - storm in Seattle
Arike Ogunbowale - Dallas Wings
Sabrina Ionescu - NY Liberty
Bridget Carlton - Portland Fire
The following players were also reported to be receiving basic QOs:
Nafiza Collier is a Minnesota Lynx
Marina Mabry - Toronto Temp
Kelsey Plum - Los Angeles Sparks
Kelsey Mitchell - Indiana Fever
Ariel Atkins - Chicago Sky
Sabrina Ionescu extended the main QO, Rebekah Gardner sent the reserved QO
The 29-year-old guard played in 38 games last season and averaged 16.7 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in 31:25 of court time.
Gardner, 35, was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Liberty in March 2024. He suited up 41 times for the Liberty last season, averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in more than 12 minutes a night.
Liberty offered a base qualifying offer to Sabrina Ionescu and a reserve qualifying offer to Rebecca Gardner.
Toronto Pace: Reserved qualifying offers extended to Maria Kliundikova, Julie Allemand, Nikolina Milic
Atlanta Dream: Qualifying Offers Held to Sika Koné, Lorela Cubaj Le
Indiana Fever: Major qualifying offer for Kelsey Mitchell;limited offer for Lexie Hull
New York Liberty: Reserved qualifying offer extended to Marin Johannes
Chicago Sky: Base qualifying offer extended to Ariel Atkins;Reserved eligibility offer extended to Sevgi Uzun
Feber has reportedly extended a qualifying offer to Kelsey Mitchell and a limited qualifying offer to Lexi Hull.
According to WNBA reporter Tony East, the Indiana Fever have extended a core qualifying offer to star guard Kelsey Mitchell and a limited qualifying offer to forward Lexi Hull.
Mitchell will be out of the first season with Indiana Fever.Last season, she scored a career-high 20.2 points and was named to her first All-WNBA First Team selection.The 30-year-old also averaged 3.4 assists, the highest number since 2022, while playing with Caitlin Clark for most of the season.
"We really know about five or six guys who are going to be on our team next year, but I feel like we have a big loss," Clark said."Our first priority is to re-sign Kelsey Mitchell. She was first team in the WNBA last year and is my backcourt partner."
Hull averaged 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and spent his first four seasons in the fever.
Just arrived: The Fever extended a base early offer to star forward Kelsey Mitchell and a limited early offer to forward Lexi Hull.
The 31-year-old guard played four seasons for the Liberty.Last season, he played in 44 games, averaging 18.3 minutes, 6.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.6 steals per game.
Liberty made Johannes, a Marine, a qualifying offer.
The Mystics reportedly fired GM Jamila Whiteman after 1 season
The Washington Mystics have fired general manager Jamila Wideman after just one season, according to ESPN's Alexa Philippou.Wideman, a former WNBA player, was hired by Washington in December 2024 after six years as the NBA's vice president of player development.
The decision to part ways with Weidman was made by Monumental basketball president Michael Winger, who oversees both the NBA's Mystics and Washington Wizards, according to Philip.The winger reportedly made the decision due to "serious strategic changes," with friction growing as the team prepared to begin WNBA free agency this week.
Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson, who was also hired by the team in December 2024, will reportedly take over basketball operations in Washington.It is unclear whether this change will be permanent.
Could the Seattle Storm have a new look for the 2026 season?
Here are some of the Intel I have: Seattle Storm registry changes.Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike likely leave after Noel Quinn disappears.Also, we could see Diggins in the Eastern Conference for the first time in 2026. #WNBAFreeAgency
WNBA Draft Stock Time: Looking forward to next week.
UCLA made an outstanding Final Four run, first defeating Texas and then dominating South Carolina en route to the school's first NCAA women's basketball title.The championship was won thanks to the skill of an outstanding senior and graduating class.Gabriella Jacks took the lead in the title match.Napkins showed an uncanny ability to hit big at the right time.And Lauren Bates and Kiki Rice showed why WNBA fans hope to make their team.
More than anything, this tournament proved that UCLA, a sleeper program for decades, can find and develop talent.Now, many Bruins are ready to earn spots in the WNBA and, thanks to the new CBA, they are making more money than any previous rookie class.Now, with the WNBA draft less than a week away, take a final look at how the NCAA draft's most eligible stars and how their recent performances may affect their draft stock.
The Angels Reese trade saw the return of Chicago Sky history
The Chicago Sky brass and Angel Reese themselves could say whatever they wanted to bounce around the issue this offseason.A deal has seemed imminent for months, and anyone reeling from that aspect of Monday morning's news is obtuse at best.
That doesn't mean the turmoil has had any less of an impact on Sky, a franchise that has been mired in controversy and drama since it was thrust into the spotlight as host of the All-Star Game this summer.And now they are left without their superstar, but are faced with yet another sticky rebuilding situation.
The Dream acquired two-time All-Star Angel Reese in a trade with the Sky.
In her first two seasons in the WNBA, Angel Reese made the All-Star team twice and earned MVP votes as a rookie.But that didn't stop the Chicago Sky from parting ways with the former LSU star.
Reyes, 23, was traded to the Atlanta Dream on Monday, the team confirmed.
The Sky reportedly traded Reese and a second-round pick to Atlanta in 2028, and the Sky reportedly received the Dream's first-round picks in both 2027 and 2028 in exchange for Reese, according to FOS' Annie Costabile.
After entering the WNBA, Reese played like an elite player. She averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game, made the All-Star Game, and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and MVP voting.
