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šWNBA EXPANSION DRAFT DECISIONS LOOM
Image Credit: Toronto Tempo
The two-team Expansion Draft is set for April 3rd at 3:30 PM EST.
Similar to the 2024 expansion draft, it will air live on ESPN. However, this draft features two teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, who will officially begin building their rosters.
For months, people have been waiting for the WNBA league office to provide the rules of this double expansion draft. We finally have them, and this section in particular stands out:
āIn preparation for the Expansion Draft, each of the existing 13 teams will be required to submit to the league office by Sunday, March 29, a Roster List that includes every player to whom the team has rights ā players on the teamās active, suspended, draft list/reserved, core, or retired lists ā as of the final day of the 2025 regular season.
The 13 teams will be required to designate a maximum of five āProtected Playersā who will not be available for selection in the Expansion Draft. All other players on each teamās Roster List will be eligible for selection by the Fire and Tempo (āUnprotected players).ā
Additionally, if a player is selected by either the Tempo or Fire, only those teams can offer the selected player a supermax contract.
The provision that only five players can be selected and previously cored players can be included is a change from the last expansion draft. When the Valkyries were drafting players, teams could protectĀ six players,Ā and players who had been core for two or more seasons could not be selected.
These developments make the process for teams a lot more complicated.
As an example, the New York Liberty will have to protect Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart if they want to prevent them from getting selected and offered supermax contracts by either the Fire or Tempo.
Jones and Stewart are expected to return to the Liberty, but potentially losing out on offering their franchise stalwarts supermax contracts could create trouble for the Liberty.
Thereās a lot to juggle, and on March 31, Erica L. Ayala and I will delve into all the expansion draft machinations on Gotta Get Up, a podcast for New York Liberty fans
Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb has amassed a fair share of depth over the years, and with a returning Betnijah Laney-Hamilton in 2026, the team has even more options to work with. However, he can only protect five.
With six players ā Natasha Cloud, Sabrina Ionescu, Leonie Fiebich, Laney-Hamilton, Stewart, and Jones ā along with key reserves like Nyara Sabally, a championship player will be left exposed and at risk of being selected by the Fire or Tempo.
Of course, with just about everyone being a free agent, they donāt have to sign with the expansion team if selected.
This WNBA off-season is all gas, no breaks. Weāre on the fast track to Opening Night, and everyone has to figure out what theyāre doing now.
As competition continues to rise, front offices have to ensure every decision is the right one.
The Lineup
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