Analyzing every WNBA free agency signing: Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, Alyssa Thomas on the move

The busiest time of the WNBA offseason is upon us as free agents meet with their prospective teams leading up to Feb. 1, when they can sign contracts.

The prospects of a new collective bargaining agreement will influence this season’s free agency, but expect to see stars change uniforms and championship contenders rearrange their rosters. Follow this tracker, where you’ll find news and analysis of moves that could reshape the league.

Grading the moves

Amid a flurry of trades across the WNBA, the Indiana Fever re-signed All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell to a one-year supermax contract worth around $249,000.

Indiana Fever: A

Sometimes an evaluation doesn’t need to be overcomplicated. Fever executives entered this offseason with the top priority of re-signing two-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell. Mission accomplished.

On Wednesday, the franchise announced Mitchell will return for her eighth season with the Fever.

Like Alyssa Thomas and Kelsey Plum, Mitchell had been given the core designation earlier this January. But a trade always seemed unlikely as Indiana president of basketball Kelly Krauskopf drafted Mitchell No. 2 in the 2018 WNBA Draft and has remained steadfast in her support of the 5-foot-8 guard. When Krauskopf returned to the Fever this fall, she stressed that Mitchell was part of the Fever’s Big 3, calling her “extremely important to the success of this, our future.”

Mitchell is coming off her best pro season, recording career-highs in points (19.2) and field goal percentage (40.2 percent). More than just her statistics, however, her pairing with star guard Caitlin Clark was integral to Indiana’s playoff return. Clark and Mitchell played the most minutes of any two-player combination across the WNBA, with Indiana’s offense scoring 105.1 points per 100 possessions with them together.

Indiana will now be tasked with buffing out the rest of their roster. With their backcourt solidified, adding front-court depth will be even more important, especially after losing center Temi Fagbenle in the December expansion draft.

After a career in Phoenix, Brittney Griner has found a new destination.

Atlanta Dream: B

The Dream needed frontcourt improvements, and Griner was the most efficient scorer (1.12 points per play) among last season’s WNBA players averaging at least 15 points per game. Atlanta is already long at the wing positions, and adding Griner’s size provides some intimidating defensive length.

The stylistic fit doesn’t make a ton of sense, as Griner’s pace is more methodical than what the Dream should be aiming for. Nearly half of her offensive possessions were post-ups last season, and it would behoove Atlanta to have her run more pick-and-roll and play in transition. Griner is also too midrange-happy for a Karl Smesko offense.
But the Dream needed more talent and they have plenty of cap space. Any future offseason plans will only be aided by acquiring Griner, who is beloved around the league.

The upside may not be terribly high here, but there is virtually no downside.

The Phoenix Mercury are finalizing a trade to acquire five-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA first-team forward Alyssa Thomas from the Connecticut Sun.

The Mercury will receive Ty Harris in addition to Thomas, and Connecticut will receive Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen and the 12th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The Sun gave Thomas the core designation earlier in January, meaning the only way Thomas can be moved is via a sign-and-trade, which cannot be made official until the official start of free agency.

Connecticut Sun: A

The Sun lost the best player in this trade, but they have remained competitive by getting Cloud and Allen in return. Cloud is arguably the best active WNBA player never to have been named an All-Star, and in a league where point guard play is at a premium, Cloud is a top-five player at her position. Allen is a plug-and-play starter thanks to her shooting and defensive versatility, and her 2023 season in Connecticut was perhaps the best of her career. Slot Cloud and Allen with Marina Mabrey, DiJonai Carrington and Brionna Jones — though the latter two are free agents — and that’s a lineup that will easily make the playoffs.

If Carrington and/or Jones also decide to play elsewhere, the Sun can easily pivot into a rebuild. They got back into the first round of the 2025 draft with the No. 12 pick and could flip Cloud and Allen into further assets. Cloud would be attractive to both of last year’s WNBA finalists — she always elevates her game in the postseason — as would Allen. Plenty of other teams could use a veteran point guard and wing defender. Carrington would also fetch a return as a restricted free agent.

Connecticut had to move Thomas, and the Sun did so without committing to a direction for the 2025 season. They can still be nimble depending on how the rest of free agency shakes out.

Phoenix Mercury: B-

Kudos to the Mercury for securing a commitment from the best player who will change teams this offseason. Thomas will essentially assume the point guard position (or forward or center, depending on your preference) in Phoenix, and Harris is an excellent shooter who made 42 percent of her 3s over the last two seasons in Connecticut. The Sun duo makes tons of sense next to Kahleah Copper and Sophie Cunningham.

But how in the world does Phoenix plan to fill out the rest of its roster?

The WNBA mandates that a team have at least one first-round pick within the next three drafts, so the Mercury could have traded their 2025 or 2027 picks in the Thomas deal. They likely held on to the 2027 pick because of the high potential of that draft class, when JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo and Madison Booker are all expected to turn pro. However, that means Phoenix missed out on an opportunity for a young, cheap contributor this year. Once the trade goes through, the Mercury will have five players under contract and have to rely on free agency for the final six roster spots.

Thomas’ fiancée DeWanna Bonner becomes an option, as the six-time All-Star won two titles in Phoenix. The Mercury can try to get some guard depth from the likes of Tiffany Hayes, Natisha Hiedeman and other veterans. Regardless, it seems as though Phoenix will still be top-heavy, and that lack of depth has caused it to fizzle in recent seasons.

In a massive three-team deal, the Seattle Storm are trading Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in an agreement that will send star guard Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Storm will also receive the Sparks’ No. 2 draft pick in the 2025 draft as well as former Los Angeles center Li Yueru. The Sparks will receive Seattle’s No. 9 draft pick and the Aces will get the Sparks’ No. 13 pick,

Seattle Storm: A

The Storm turned a player who didn’t want to be in Seattle into the No. 2 pick. Considering how badly Loyd had performed over the last two seasons as her jump shot completely betrayed her, to start over with the second pick is a tremendous outcome for this front office. The Storm did have to send the No. 9 pick to Los Angeles, but they got Li Yueru, a promising young center, in return, which is basically the median outcome of a pick in that range of the draft.

Los Angeles Sparks: B-

The Sparks are taking a huge risk on Plum making a long-term commitment to their franchise, as they could have continued to build for the future with a young guard (likely Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles at No. 2 in the 2025 draft) to complement their young frontcourt. However, it’s hard to stomach any more losing than L.A. has over the past four seasons, and with a new head coach and no 2026 first-round pick, it’s understandable the Sparks want to start a new chapter. Plum is arguably the best player or asset in this deal and could realistically get the organization back into the playoffs. However, she is turning 31 this season and likely will be on a one-year deal. The potential downside of this trade is enormous. Nevertheless, it’s a move L.A. arguably had to make, and filling its biggest free-agency need is a win.

Las Vegas: C

The Aces ended this trade with a worse player than they started. Kelsey Plum is a better shooter and playmaker than Loyd, while neither exactly impressed on defense in 2024. Las Vegas also broke up a quartet that won back-to-back titles, even if the Aces didn’t have a choice in the matter if Plum asked out. Loyd’s shooting decline has been precipitous since Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart left the Storm. There is a chance that she returns to her Seattle peak, but for Las Vegas to win a title in 2025, the version of Loyd from the last two years isn’t good enough, and the Aces are worse now than with Plum.

The draft pick exchange also doesn’t work out in favor of Las Vegas, as the Aces turned their 2026 first-rounder into the No. 13 pick in 2025. The draft selection will be in the same spot only if Vegas has the best record in 2025, but 2026 is projected to be a deeper draft. The Aces need the cost-controlled rookie this season with Loyd’s max salary. However, getting out of the 2026 draft could be costly.

How will CBA negotiations affect free agency?

Though some of this year’s free agents might sign multiyear deals this offseason, considering the economic windfall expected to hit the league next winter, many top free agents are expected to sign one-year deals and re-enter the market next season when salaries likely increase.

In late October, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association opted out of the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, setting up negotiations for a new contract that will significantly affect the league’s future.

Talks between the two sides come amid a period of economic growth in women’s basketball. As evidenced by the ratings, attendance and merchandise boom this past summer, the WNBA announced a new media rights agreement in 2026 that will pay an average of $200 million over the next 11 years. Its current deal is valued at roughly $50 million annually. The increase in media rights is expected to lead to a jump in player salaries and league salary cap when the new CBA goes into effect.

Only two players — Kalani Brown and Lexie Brown — are not on rookie contracts but signed to a 2026 contract. More than 60 players who ended the 2024 season on a roster are expected to be free agents next year.

An offseason of record change seems increasingly possible as players who appear content on their current teams, including Breanna Stewart, have signed one-year contracts in recent years presumably to wait to ink a long-term contract at higher value in the 2026 offseason.

It’s official ✅

Check out the full list of 2025 Unrestricted Free Agents, Core Players, Restricted Free Agents, & Reserved Players #WNBAFreeAgency ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KGp33D4ESf

— WNBA (@WNBA) January 22, 2025

Players to watch

Satou Sabally

In early January, Sabally said she had informed the Dallas Wings about her desire to play for another franchise next season. Nevertheless, Dallas cored Sabally, meaning that any move involving the one-time All-WNBA first-team forward must be via a sign-and-trade.

DiJonai Carrington

Carrington is a restricted free agent, meaning Connecticut can match any offer sheet she signs with another team. However, all RFA offer sheets must be for at least two years, and Carrington is unlikely to sign a multiyear deal (because of CBA changes). As a result, Carrington’s situation is akin to that of a cored player: She likely will either return to the Sun on a one-year contract or get flipped to another team in a sign-and-trade.

Top 20 impact players at the start of free agency

*Player is cored

**Player is restricted

Key free-agency dates

WNBA franchises had from Jan. 11 to Jan. 20 to extend qualifying offers to make applicable players restricted or reserved free agents. In that window, players could accept qualifying offers, but these deals could be accepted only before Feb. 1.

Beginning Jan. 21, franchises could begin negotiating with free agents, no matter their classification. Contracts cannot be officially finalized and announced until Feb. 1.

What does it mean to be a cored player?

A core designation in the WNBA is similar to the NFL’s franchise tag. It can be applied to one unrestricted free agent per team to prevent a player from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Applying the core designation to a player gives the team exclusive negotiation rights, and any agreement between the player and team must be at minimum a fully guaranteed one-year deal worth the supermax.

A player can be cored for a maximum of two times in her career.

Cored players might not necessarily suit up for the franchise that applied the designation, but cored players can only then be moved in sign-and-trade agreements. This might become the case with Plum, Thomas and Sabally.

WNBA cored players this offseason

• Breanna Stewart (Liberty)

• Kelsey Mitchell (Fever)

• Satou Sabally (Wings)

• Kelsey Plum (Aces)

• Alyssa Thomas (Sun)

• Gabby Williams (Storm)

How will teams value draft picks?

Keep an eye on how many — and which — draft picks get put into offseason trades. With the ongoing CBA negotiation, franchises might be hesitant to deal their first-round picks because the salary slotting of a first-round pick will almost assuredly be lower this year (around $76,000) than in the next CBA. Assuming next year’s CBA increases rookie minimums, players drafted this year would be locked into lower salaries than next year’s rookies.

Franchises can also trade picks in the 2027 WNBA Draft, but teams might be hesitant to deal such selections because of the incoming star power, including USC’s JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Texas’ Madison Booker.

How do Golden State Valkyries affect free agency?

In December, Golden State selected 11 players for its inaugural season. However, it’s likely all of those players won’t be part of Golden State’s roster. Only three players — Stephanie Talbot, Kayla Thornton and Kate Martin — are under contract with the Valkyries, and Golden State has the most cap room in the league. As a result, it could be a willing trade partner for players on supermax contracts or free agents looking to maximize their short-term earnings.

GO DEEPER

How the Golden State Valkyries constructed their first WNBA roster

Free-agency predictions

Stewart headlines another deep pool of free agents in the 2025 offseason, which features multiple former MVPs and multi-time All-Stars. Stewart has already announced that she will return to the New York Liberty, but there should be much more movement as other teams gear up to take down the defending champions.

GO DEEPER

WNBA free-agency predictions: Kelsey Plum to the Storm, Satou Sabally to the Liberty

(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; photos of Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas: Barry Gossage / Getty Images, David Berding / Getty Images)