The 2024 WNBA free company interval is now underway, which implies the lengthy offseason is simply heating up. As of Feb. 1, groups can formally signal gamers to new contracts, and there is been loads of motion throughout the league. Most not too long ago, the Seattle Storm continued their spectacular offseason by including former MVP Nneka Ogwumike.
For a lot of the league’s historical past, free company did not matter all that a lot. Key gamers not often grew to become free brokers because of the size of contracts and the variety of occasions a franchise might use the core designation. That every one modified with the brand new collective bargaining settlement in 2020. Now, free company is a key side of the calendar, identical to some other league.
Already some main offers have been struck. Former MVP Jonquel Jones has agreed to re-sign with the New York Liberty, whereas reigning Most Improved Participant Satou Sabally can be again with the Dallas Wings. Skylar Diggins-Smith determined to depart her earlier group, the Phoenix Mercury, to signal a reported two-year deal with the Storm. In probably the most shocking strikes, former MVP Tina Charles signed with the Atlanta Dream after sitting out of the 2023 season.
We’re nonetheless awaiting selections from 4 different former MVPs: Breanna Stewart (2018, 2023), Elena Delle Donne (2015, 2019) and Candace Parker (2008, 2013). That is along with seeing what the likes of Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner will do.
A technique or one other, the league goes to shift this winter. Forward of all of the motion and intrigue, here is the whole lot you want to know:
When does free company begin?
Groups can begin speaking to free brokers on Jan. 21, however nothing can formally be signed till Feb. 1. These guidelines will all the time be skirted to some extent, however groups caught breaking them can be punished below the league’s tampering guidelines. The Seattle Storm have been fined in 2022 for leaping the gun on Sue Fowl’s re-signing.
How does WNBA free company work?
WNBA free company largely operates identical to the NBA. There’s a moratorium interval the place groups can converse to gamers however not offically signal something, and free brokers are grouped into completely different classifications that dictate how each they and groups can function. The 2 fundamental teams are unrestricted free brokers, who can converse to and signal with any group they need, and restricted free brokers, who can converse to and signal with any group they need, however can have that provide matched by their prior group.
The WNBA additionally has a reserved class, which is for gamers who hit free company with fewer than three years of service. Usually, these are veterans who entered the league later of their profession, however they may also be youthful gamers who, for no matter cause, weren’t on a typical rookie-scale contract. The prior group has unique negotiating rights with stated gamers.
Moreover, in uncommon cases gamers’ contracts can expire whereas they’re suspended. When this occurs, gamers are technically discovered to be “withholding service,” in line with the CBA, and are listed as “suspended — contract expired.” In observe, these gamers are handled very like reserved gamers, although the prior group doesn’t have to increase a qualifying provide.
Lastly, there may be the core designation, which is most analogous to the NFL’s franchise tag. If a group makes use of the core designation on a participant, they acquire unique negotiating rights with them, even when that participant was set to be an unrestricted free agent. Groups should use this machination correctly, nevertheless, as every participant is just allowed to be “cored” two occasions of their profession as of 2024.
2024 WNBA free brokers
Cored
|
Jordin Canada |
Los Angeles Sparks |
Atlanta Dream |
G |
Signed-and-traded |
|
Elena Delle Donne |
Washington Mystics |
F |
Cored |
|
|
Brionna Jones |
Connecticut Solar |
Connecticut Solar |
C |
Signed |
|
Breanna Stewart |
New York Liberty |
F |
Cored |
Unrestricted
|
Natalie Achonwa |
Minnesota Lynx |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Lindsay Allen |
Minnesota Lynx |
Chicago Sky |
G |
Signed |
|
Rebecca Allen |
Connecticut Solar |
Phoenix Mercury |
F |
Signed-and-traded |
|
Kristine Anigwe |
Connecticut Solar |
F/C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Rachel Banham |
Minnesota Lynx |
Connecticut Solar |
G |
Signed |
|
Monique Billings |
Atlanta Dream |
Los Angeles Sparks |
F |
Signed |
|
DeWanna Bonner |
Connecticut Solar |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Kalani Brown |
Dallas Wings |
Dallas Wings |
C |
Signed |
|
Rae Burrell |
Los Angeles Sparks |
Los Angeles Sparks |
G/F |
Signed |
|
Emma Cannon |
Indiana Fever |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Bridget Carleton |
Minnesota Lynx |
Minnesota Lynx |
F |
Signed |
|
Chennedy Carter |
Los Angeles Sparks |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Kaila Charles |
Seattle Storm |
G/F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Tina Charles |
N/A |
Atlanta Dream |
F/C |
Signed |
|
Layshia Clarendon |
Los Angeles Sparks |
Los Angeles Sparks |
G |
Signed |
|
Natasha Cloud |
Washington Mystics |
Phoenix Mercury |
G |
Signed |
|
Alaina Coates |
Las Vegas Aces |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Nia Coffey |
Atlanta Dream |
Atlanta Dream |
F |
Signed |
|
Sydney Colson |
Las Vegas Aces |
Las Vegas Aces |
G |
Signed |
|
Lauren Cox |
Connecticut Solar |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Lorela Cubaj |
Atlanta Dream |
F/C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Damiris Dantas |
Minnesota Lynx |
Indiana Fever |
G/F |
Signed |
|
Diamond DeShields |
Phoenix Mercury |
G/F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Jasmine Dickey |
Dallas Wings |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Skylar Diggins-Smith |
Phoenix Mercury |
Seattle Storm |
G |
Signed |
|
Liz Dixon |
Phoenix Mercury |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Ivana Dojkic |
Seattle Storm |
New York Liberty |
G |
Signed coaching camp contract |
|
Stefanie Dolson |
New York Liberty |
F/C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Emily Engstler |
Minnesota Lynx |
Washington Mystics |
F |
Signed coaching camp contract |
|
Cyesha Goree |
Washington Mystics |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Brittney Griner |
Phoenix Mercury |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Arella Guirantes |
Seattle Storm |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Megan Gustafson |
Phoenix Mercury |
Las Vegas Aces |
F/C |
Signed |
|
Linnae Harper |
Washington Mystics |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Tiana Hawkins |
Washington Mystics |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Tiffany Hayes |
Connecticut Solar |
N/A |
G |
Retired |
|
Destanni Henderson |
Phoenix Mercury |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Khaalia Hillsman |
Chicago Sky |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Ashley Joens |
Phoenix Mercury |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Jonquel Jones |
New York Liberty |
New York Liberty |
F/C |
Reportedly agreed to two-year deal |
|
Jantel Lavender |
Seattle Storm |
F/C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Rui Machida |
Washington Mystics |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Abby Meyers |
Washington Mystics |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Taylor Mikesell |
Atlanta Dream |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Chiney Ogwumike |
Los Angeles Sparks |
F/C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Nneka Ogwumike |
Los Angeles Sparks |
Seattle Storm |
F |
Signed |
|
Candace Parker |
Las Vegas Aces |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Shey Peddy |
Phoenix Mercury |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Theresa Plaisance |
Seattle Storm |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Aerial Powers |
Minnesota Lynx |
Atlanta Dream |
G/F |
Signed |
|
Epiphanny Prince |
New York Liberty |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Danielle Robinson |
Atlanta Dream |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Karlie Samuelson |
Los Angeles Sparks |
Washington Mystics |
G |
Signed |
|
Katie Lou Samuelson |
Los Angeles Sparks |
Indiana Fever |
F |
|
|
Jennie Simms |
Phoenix Mercury |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Odyssey Sims |
Dallas Wings |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Alanna Smith |
Chicago Sky |
Minnesota Lynx |
F |
Signed |
|
Taylor Soule |
Chicago Sky |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Kiah Stokes |
Las Vegas Aces |
Las Vegas Aces |
C |
Signed |
|
Jasmine Thomas |
Los Angeles Sparks |
N/A |
G |
Retired |
|
Sam Thomas |
Phoenix Mercury |
G/F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Kristi Toliver |
Washington Mystics |
N/A |
G |
Retired |
|
Kayana Traylor |
Minnesota Lynx |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Evina Westbrook |
Los Angeles Sparks |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Christyn Williams |
Phoenix Mercury |
Phoenix Mercury |
G |
Signed coaching camp contract |
|
Courtney Williams |
Chicago Sky |
Minnesota Lynx |
G |
Signed |
|
Gabby Williams |
Seattle Storm |
F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Madi Williams |
Seattle Storm |
G/F |
Unsigned |
|
|
Riquna Williams |
Las Vegas Aces |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Amanda Zahui B. |
Los Angeles Sparks |
C |
Unsigned |
Restricted
|
AD Durr |
Atlanta Dream |
G |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Cayla George |
Las Vegas Aces |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Ruthy Hebard |
Chicago Sky |
F/C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Joyner Holmes |
Seattle Storm |
Seattle Storm |
C |
Signed coaching camp contract |
|
Satou Sabally |
Dallas Wings |
Dallas Wings |
F |
Agreed to one-year deal |
|
Yvonne Turner |
Seattle Storm |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Jocelyn Willoughby |
New York Liberty |
G/F |
Unsigned |
Reserved
|
Morgan Bertsch |
Chicago Sky |
F |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Maya Caldwell |
Indiana Fever |
Indiana Fever |
G |
Signed coaching camp contract |
|
Temi Fagbenle |
Indiana Fever |
Indiana Fever |
C |
Signed coaching camp contract |
|
Rebekah Gardner |
Chicago Sky |
G |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Bernadett Hatar |
Connecticut Solar |
C |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Marine Johannes |
New York Liberty |
G |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Li Meng |
Washington Mystics |
G |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Nikolina Milic |
Minnesota Lynx |
F |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Robyn Parks |
Chicago Sky |
F |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Kianna Smith |
Los Angeles Sparks |
G |
Qualifying provide prolonged |
|
|
Sug Sutton |
Phoenix Mercury |
Phoenix Mercury |
G |
Signed coaching camp contract |
Suspended — Contract Expired
|
Julie Allemand |
Chicago Sky |
G |
Unsigned |
|
|
Han Xu |
New York Liberty |
C |
Unsigned |
|
|
Astou Ndour-Fall |
Chicago Sky |
Connecticut Solar |
F/C |
Signed |
