After announcing the official Valkyries name for the forthcoming WNBA expansion team in Golden State, the team eclipsed 10,000 season ticket deposits for the team’s inaugural season.
That was:
Without a coach
Without a front office
Without players
While the first two were addressed during the season, Golden State is now faced with the task of building out its roster in the form of an expansion draft (along with free agency and the 2025 WNBA Draft).
What makes an expansion draft so much fun is that Golden State gets to pick a player from each of the other 12 teams in the league. Now, there are restrictions and safeguards in place, as the other 12 teams can protect up to six players, and they are only able to select one unrestricted free agent in total.
So if a player’s final season under contract was in 2024, Golden State is allowed to pick one of those players (if they go unprotected) to sign them (the player would receive a one-year core designation from Golden State) instead of trying to sign them in free agency.
Quick sidebars since we mentioned cores: a player is only allowed to be core designated twice in their careers. That means players like Brittney Griner, Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, Bri Jones, and Nneka Ogwumike are ineligible for the draft since they have exceeded their core designations. They will either remain with their existing teams or enter free agency if they are unrestricted free agents (UFA).
OK, let’s get back on track.
The draft allows for a lot of chess pieces moving on the board, as Golden State has to round out its roster as the league enters a big year with its collective bargaining agreement, with big free agent deals likely waiting until the 2025 offseason.
Listen, it’s a bit confusing, and that’s why there is this awesome breakdown of the process here.
And with teams having to designate their protected players on Nov. 25 (release the names to the public, dammit!) ahead of the Dec. 6 expansion draft, we wanted to get in on the action and play the role of general manager here.
We assigned 12 different writers, editors, and designers to each be in charge of one of the existing WNBA franchises. They were in charge of deciding who they were going to protect and who they would expose to the expansion draft, as well as their reasoning.
I’m assuming the role of the Golden State general manager in this exercise. I’ll be building out a roster based on who my coworkers are making available to me while following the rules of the draft and staying under the cap.
It’s worth noting that two more teams in Toronto and Portland will be joining the WNBA next year, so not only will we be going through this process again (doubly!) next year, but this is serving as my audition for one of those jobs.
Have your people call my people, eh?
It’s also worth noting that teams are able to trade with Golden State in order to get them to pick a certain player, and Golden State is able to pass on taking a player from a team if it wishes. That would give it flexibility in free agency and not fill up its roster right away.
However … for the purpose of this exercise, I’ll be taking a player from each team with the idea that the Valkyries want to compete for a title within five years.
Let’s get to the action by meeting our general managers and the teams they are going to be running, going in alphabetical order for the introductions and the draft selection process:
Atlanta Dream: Chelsea Leite
Chicago Sky: Candace Pedraza
Connecticut Sun: Blake Silverman
Dallas Wings: Jasmine Harper
Indiana Fever: Matt Cohen
Las Vegas Aces: Owen Pence
Los Angeles Sparks: Aryeh Schwartz
Minnesota Lynx: Mitchell Hansen
New York Liberty: Myles Ehrlich
Phoenix Mercury: Ella Morrissey
Seattle Storm: Chris Wozniak
Washington Mystics: Jamauri Bowles
All cap numbers are courtesy of Her Hoop Stats
Atlanta Dream
The Protected Players
Rhyne Howard
Allisha Gray
Jordin Canada
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus
Aerial Powers
Naz Hillmon
What Our GM Says:
A few of these protections for the Atlanta Dream are pretty simple. Rhyne Howard is the team’s 2022 No.1 draft pick and the centerpiece of this team. She’s an elite shotmaker, facilitator, and has the physicality to defend well. She’s an All-Star and an asset to this team, with experience in the WNBA as well as 3×3 Olympic basketball. Allisha Gray is a coveted player in this league and would be snatched up if she were to go unprotected. Jordin Canada provides this team with a strong presence at the point guard position, especially when you think of a strong veteran presence on a team.
Parker-Tyus was up there with the best players on the Dream in 2024, and her along with Aerial Powers are vets who can steer this ship of younger players. Naz Hillmon is one of those players with strong skills, who is also now integrated with this team with seasons of experience under her belt. She is an asset especially as every team in the WNBA will be going through immense change this offseason. – Chelsea Leite
The Available Players:
Isobel Borlase
Nyadiew Puoch
Laeticia Amihere
Maya Caldwell
Maite Cazorla
Lorela Cubaj
AD Durr
Iliana Rupert
Haley Jones
Matilde Villa
Golden State Selects:
Laeticia Amihere ($79,999, 2026) – There was a little bit of a swerve here, as I expected Parker-Tyus to be available to me as a UFA. I wouldn’t have taken her, but it did make my selection a little bit more difficult as I was between Laeticia Amihere, Haley Jones, and Nyadiew Puoch. Puoch has insane upside as Atlanta’s first-round pick last year who has yet to make it stateside. But if Golden State wants to accelerate its competitive window from five years to, say two or three years, you have to balance taking big swings for potential and playing it safe. I’m going with the potential here with Amihere. She gets the slight nod over Puoch given that she’s heading into her third year in the league. She barely got playing time – to the chagrin of the vocal South Carolina fanbase – and she has a lot of work to do offensively. But there’s no denying the rim protection and the length that she brings automatically either as a backup big or earning a starting role with us out of training camp. We’ll be able to get the South Carolina faithful eyes on our team right away, too.
Chicago Sky
The Protected Players
Angel Reese
Kamilla Cardoso
Chennedy Carter
Isabelle Harrison
Elizabeth Williams
Diamond DeShields
What Our GM Says:
Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Elizabeth Williams were the obvious top three players to protect. You get defense, size, rebounding, and post-scoring galore between these three, and you still have to see what you have in the Cardoso-Reese frontcourt minutes with more 4-5 lineups. With Isabelle Harrison, the logic was similar, and she’s also a great fallback at the 4 for Reese if she’s still struggling from midrange. Harrison is a solid scorer from there.
Diamond DeShields and Chennedy Carter make sense as two guards who can push the pace and feed their bigs, with Carter more familiar with working with Reese and Harrison on the floor. DeShields deserves another year to get her footing at the guard position.
I left Dana Evans and Rachel Banham off here because Evans has expressed wanting out of Chicago fairly often, and Banham was hot and cold since the trade involving Marina Mabrey shipped her over. That’s why I’m going with DeShields and Carter here. – Candace Pedraza
The Available Players:
Dana Evans
Michaela Onyenwere
Lindsay Allen
Rachel Banham
Maria Conde
Moriah Jefferson
Nikolina Milic
Brianna Turner
Golden State Selects:
Dana Evans ($78,469, 2024) (Restricted) – I was slightly surprised that Michaela Onyenwere wasn’t protected, as she stepped up as a key piece as a starter down the stretch for Chicago. Rachel Banham was in strong consideration as a key outside shooter, but I opted to go with my first guard in Dana Evans.
It’s important to note that Evans is a restricted free agent, not an unrestricted free agent, so I’m not using up my sole spot yet on her. She and Teresa Weatherspoon didn’t seem to jell well, and while T-Spoon is out of town after one year (get it together, Chicago!), we’ll now grant the wish of Evans and her agent by giving her a new landing spot, as well. Evans was a fan favorite in Chicago, but unlike there, we’ll have her as a starter from Day 1 as a prime facilitator and scorer for our Valkyries.
Connecticut Sun
The Protected Players
Alyssa Thomas
DiJonai Carrington
Marina Mabrey
Tyasha Harris
Olivia Nelson-Ododa
Leïla Lacan
What Our GM Says:
The Connecticut Sun is an interesting team to watch in the expansion draft with some tough decisions to make. Unfortunately, they can not protect DeWanna Bonner or Bri Jones because they are both free agents and have exhausted their cores. Both Bonner and Jones would have made Connecticut’s protection list if eligible. Alyssa Thomas is an unrestricted free agent while DiJonai Carrington is a restricted free agent. Both are easy additions for me because no matter how the offseason shakes out, you can’t let either player get picked in an expansion draft.
Marina Mabrey was the next no-brainer, followed by Ty Harris. The tough calls came down to the final two spots. Olivia Nelson-Ododa was included, which wasn’t too difficult of a decision, because she’s under contract for one more year, played huge minutes for Connecticut in 2024, and provides some size if Jones ends up elsewhere next season. The last spot came down to three names: Leïla Lacan, Tiffany Mitchell, and Veronica Burton. Mitchell is a free agent, while Burton is reserved. Lacan is Connecticut’s first-round draft pick from a season ago who hasn’t come over to the WNBA, yet.
Connecticut’s front office is high on Lacan, and while Golden State may not pick an overseas prospect in the expansion draft, the Sun has to plan for the future ahead of a critical offseason where the team can go in many different directions. Lacan can be its point guard of the future, and I predict general manager Darius Taylor won’t take a chance on giving that up in the expansion draft. – Blake Silverman
The Available Players:
Veronica Burton
Astou Ndour-Fall
Caitlin Bickle
Abbey Hsu
Tiffany Mitchell
Golden State Selects:
Veronica Burton ($50,180, 2024) (Reserved) – Like Evans, Burton has a tag, too, but she’s a reserved free agent and not restricted. What’s more, she comes at a fantastic value at just over $50,000 in cap space. Once General Manager Silverman went with Olivia Nelson-Ododa, which made the selection of Burton a no-brainer.
Burton played well for Connecticut down the stretch and in the first round of the playoffs after being unceremoniously let go by Dallas. Give me Burton as a key piece off the bench.
Dallas Wings
The Protected Players
Arike Ogunbowale
Satou Sabally
Maddy Siegrist
Teaira McCowan
Jacy Sheldon
Kalani Brown
What Our GM Says:
The Dallas Wings underperformed greatly during the 2024 campaign, and they should look to shake up the roster a bit going into next season. Injuries plagued the franchise throughout the entire campaign, and a late-season push with a healthy roster wasn’t enough to take the Wings to the playoffs. The organization ended the season as the 11th seed, and in a unique turn of events they ended up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. Paige Bueckers is primed to be selected first off the board next year if she declares for the draft. While she does have another year of college eligibility, Buecker’s stock is at its highest, and the WNBA and its fans are anticipating her arrival.
With that in mind, Curt Miller will need to craft a roster centered around Bueckers and Ogunbowale, while working to re-sign Satou Sabally who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Kalani Brown and Teaira McCowan are both locked in contracts next season, and Maddy Siegrist has stepped up and claimed her spot as a key piece on the Wings. Jacy Sheldon will be a solid backup point guard for Bueckers off the bench as she grows more comfortable commanding this versatile roster. It’s no secret the Dallas Wings need a strong and cunning point guard as it’s been one of the team’s issues for years. Now that the franchise has another shot at a No. 1 pick, you can bet they won’t pass on this opportunity of potentially securing a budding superstar in the making. – Jasmine Harper
The Available Players:
Carla Leite
Bella Alarie
Jaelyn Brown
Awak Kuier
Paige Robinson
Lou Lopez-Senechal
Stephanie Soares
Sevgi Uzun
Golden State Selects:
Carla Leite ($70,344*, N/A) – There’s a lot of young talent in Dallas that it could have protected, but it has to keep in mind that Paige Bueckers will likely join Dallas as the No. 1 pick in the draft. With that, my decision came down to Lou Lopez Senechal, Stephanie Soares, Awak Kuier, and Carla Leite. While I like all of the young Dallas options, I wanted to go with another big upside swing here with Leite.
Leite was drafted by Dallas in the first round last year but hasn’t signed her contract. She’s stated that she wants to come over to play in the WNBA soon – maybe as soon as this year. Leite’s ball-handling ability is insanely advanced for being 20 years old, and knowing that we can get her on her rookie contract for three years when she does sign is a big bonus. I kind of hate taking three guards with my first four picks, but we’ll adjust.
Indiana Fever
The Protected Players
Caitlin Clark
Aliyah Boston
NaLyssa Smith
Lexie Hull
Temi Fagbenle
Grace Berger
What Our GM Says:
If I truly had it my way, there would be only four names on this list, but this exercise requires six. The first name on this list should be to no one’s surprise, new front office or not. Clark is their most valuable player and will be going nowhere. Nearly at Clark’s level is Boston, who is too important to what this team wants to do and be, even if she can be inconsistent. I still wholeheartedly believe she should be traded, but she’s a mid-twenties quality player on an ill-fitting team. You don’t let them walk for nothing. Keep her until the right deal finds its way to your doorstep.
Then there’s Hull, who hasn’t kept up her end of the bargain for what her game promised out of Stanford but is still a very useful and important player and leader on this young team. The rest of the Indiana lineup I could do without, but again, I must keep six. Wheeler and Mitchell, even though the latter will surely be cored, are UFA’s and aren’t worth protecting. I think their likely walking away is addition by subtraction for what this team is trying to become.
Fagbenle has had moments and is uber-athletic. She has some promise in transition and her ability to run with Clark is why I hang on to her unless Golden State wants her badly enough. Lastly, I decided to choose youth over anything else. Call me IU-biased, but Berger showed some ability in her rookie season, only to be buried on a bench for her sophomore campaign. This team could use a bench energy spark and floor general, and Berger’s smarts, high IQ, and midrange jumper at the elbow are valuable commodities for 10-15 minutes a night. – Matt Cohen
The Available Players:
Kelsey Mitchell
Damiris Dantas
Victaria Saxton
Katie Lou Samuelson
Kristy Wallace
Erica Wheeler
Golden State Selects:
Kelsey Mitchell ($206,000, 2024) (UFA) – And here we go. I was shocked that General Manager Cohen, who we have a ton of respect for, didn’t protect Kelsey Mitchell. We fully expected Grace Berger to be the latest member of the squad, but we had to pivot. Maybe it was because they didn’t think we’d take her? Maybe it was in hopes that they could have exclusive rights to core her for one year at $241,984. But nope – we are taking a top-12 player and bringing her to Golden State.
Katie Lou Samuelson would be tempting, and Damiris Dantas would have been a nice depth piece, bringing Mitchell in as a two-guard to be the face of the franchise is something we can’t pass up.
Las Vegas Aces
The Protected Players
A’ja Wilson
Chelsea Gray
Kelsey Plum
Kate Martin
Jackie Young
Alysha Clark
What Our GM Says:
The top four are obvious, a group that has won back-to-back titles together and requires no further explanation. The last two spots are where things get tricky. To me, this choice came down to three players: the two I ended up choosing and Tiffany Hayes.
Kiah Stokes misses the cut – her shooting liabilities are too much to overcome on the offensive end. If she was an All-WNBA level defender rather than simply an above-average defender, this would be a different conversation. She isn’t. She’s been an integral part of Vegas winning two rings, but this conversation is entirely focused on the future.
Alysha Clark makes it because of how essential she is to all of Vegas’s best lineups on both ends. Yes, Clark is the oldest player of the bunch, but the Aces window is now and she remained efficient and productive in 2024. OK, so if the Las Vegas window is now, then why did I select Kate Martin instead of Tiffany Hayes with my final pick? Simple: the salary cap.
Martin has immense potential and is on a second-round contract for the next three seasons. That’s an immensely valuable deal and one that allows the team flexibility to replace the production of Hayes and Stokes in free agency. This is in no way Hayes disrespect. She was phenomenal for Las Vegas and makes more sense in a vacuum as the sixth selection.
Sadly, these picks aren’t made in a vacuum; money is a major determining factor. If they protect Hayes, they’ll lose Martin. By protecting Martin, Vegas remains able to target a younger player who does what Hayes does so brilliantly: put the ball in the bucket. – Owen Pence
The Available Players:
Kiah Stokes
Kierstan Bell
Sydney Colson
Queen Egbo
Megan Gustafson
Tiffany Hayes
Elizabeth Kitley
Golden State Selects:
Kiah Stokes ($103,000, 2025) – This wasn’t really a surprise at all. Vegas kept exactly who we expected them to keep, and if we didn’t have the rule in place where we have to draft someone from each team, I’d probably pass on Vegas.
But forward we must go, and we’ll go with Kiah Stokes. I don’t think there’s a ton of upside there, as General Manager Pence alluded to. But there’s something to say for getting a 31-year-old veteran presence for a young team who can be a starter on Day 1. Amihere is an elite shot blocker, so bringing in a capable big to hold down the paint and allow Amihere to roam and go for those blocks is big in our book.
Los Angeles Sparks
The Protected Players
Cameron Brink
Rickea Jackson
Dearica Hamby
Azura Stevens
Rae Burrell
Julie Allemand
What Our GM Says:
As the acting GM of the Sparks, the process has been straightforward. Currently, our roster consists of only a few players we are committed to for the next phase of our rebuild. We aim to build around our key cornerstones while providing experience to our younger players. We will not let our rookie superstars, Cameron Brink, and Rickea Jackson, leave. Dearica Hamby is the heart and engine of this team, and we will protect her at all costs.
Currently, my focus is on safeguarding players based on their anticipated on-court contributions and perceived trade value. While I hold a strong appreciation for Azura Stevens, I remain uncertain about her long-term presence on this roster over the next five years. However, given the evolving dynamics of the frontcourt, her trade value is significant and could be leveraged effectively in future transactions.
Our investment in Rae Burrell last year has shown promising potential, and I believe we can monitor its growth further. So far, it’s been simple, but this is where it got challenging. I was torn between Julie Allemand, Li Yueru, and Stephanie Talbot. Talbot might be the most proven in terms of production today. Li has the potential to be an elite big, but she’s not quite there yet, and there are questions about her being available each season. On the other hand, Allemand is still young (still availability questions), has significant national experience, and there’s a high demand for good point guards in the league. If you protect her, she could provide the best long-term court production fit a key need or be the best trade value. – Aryeh Schwartz
The Available Players:
Lexie Brown
Zia Cooke
Kia Nurse
Li Yueru
Stephanie Talbot
Maria Vadeeza
Shaniece Swain
Aari McDonald
Golden State Selects:
Stephanie Talbot ($125,000, 2025) – I guess we won’t get Cameron Brink or Rickea Jackson. Fine! But Los Angeles did help us a bit by extending Stephanie Talbot midseason last year. That allows us to select her without worrying about the UFA designation that we already used. The price point is fair, and we get Talbot in Year 2 off of her ACL injury. It’ll be a good “prove it” year for her as she enters the final year of her deal.
Minnesota Lynx
The Protected Players
Napheesa Collier
Kayla McBride
Bridget Carleton
Alanna Smith
Courtney Williams
Dorka Juhász
What Our GM Says:
Five of the six players Minnesota will protect in the expansion draft are pretty clear, with the five starters from 2024 being locks to remain out of reach for Golden State. The sixth and final spot, however, could be owned by a few different players, which will make for a tough decision for Cheryl Reeve and Co.
Minnesota’s sixth protection could come down to which player the Lynx believes the Valkyries won’t be able to pass up on, and I believe that player is Dorka Juhász. The soon-to-be third-year talent has shown the ability to shine in a starting spot as well as a bench role, something that would be valuable for a team that will likely be filled with younger talent in Golden State. Other considerations for that sixth spot would be Diamond Miller, Alissa Pili, Natisha Hiedeman, or perhaps Myisha Hines-Allen. – Mitchell Hansen
The Available Players:
Diamond Miller
Olivia Epoupa
Natisha Hiedeman
Myisha Hines-Allen
Maïa Hirsch
Alissa Pili
Jessica Shepard
Cecilia Zandalasini
Golden State Selects:
Diamond Miller ($83,371, 2026) (Team Option) – This has been the toughest decision so far. On our big board, we had Dorka Juhász as our top pick, but General Manager Hansen protected her with his final designation. We had to decide between Diamond Miller and Alissa Pili, although Jessica Shepard was on the table as she is trending toward playing in 2025.
We ended up going with Miller slightly over Pili. Both players are on a rookie contract, but given the fit of my team, I’m in need of a true wing who can space the floor and get me a damn bucket. With Pili, I fear that we don’t quite know what her game will be yet in the WNBA, and she could create a spacing issue with Amihere and Stokes.
Miller hasn’t found her way into the rotation for Cheryl Reeve in Minnesota, but the former lottery pick is going to get a full run in Golden State as our starting small forward. Not only do we get Miller at a great price for 2025, but we have a team option on her that we can pick up or decline for $94,740 for 2026, too, depending on how she performs.
New York Liberty
The Protected Players
Sabrina Ionescu
Brenna Stewart
Jonquel Jones
Leonie Fiebich
Nyara Sabally
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
What Our GM Says:
For the Liberty, the goal is to bring back the starting lineup that brought the franchise its first title this past season. The big three of Jones, Ionescu, and Stewart are non-negotiables, as New York will burn Stewart’s final core this offseason to ensure her return. Fiebich’s entry into the first five unlocked the full potential of the team, so securing her against the Golden State Vultures was a no-brainer.
While another year battling lower leg injuries is surely a long-term concern when it comes to Laney-Hamilton, her ability to set the tone on the perimeter defensively and generate her late-clock offense on the other end is integral to New York’s success in 2025. There were several options for this last spot, but it’s impossible to go away from Sabally, the former lottery pick who capped her sophomore campaign by answering the call and came through in the biggest game of her life/the most important win in franchise history. Though currently slotted in behind a pair of MVPs in Jones and Stewart, Sabally has the potential to be a nightly double-double in an increased role. – Myles Ehrlich
The Available Players:
Raquel Carrera
Marquesha Davis
Kaitlyn Davis
Ivana Dojkić
Marine Johannes
Jaylyn Sherrod
Han Xu
Marine Fathoux
Courtney Vandersloot
Rebekah Gardner
Kayla Thornton
Golden State Selects:
Kayla Thornton ($112,000, 2025) – There were no real surprises with the protections that General Manager Erlich had with his defending champion Liberty. And when we started this exercise, I had a feeling that Courtney Vandersloot would be my UFA designation. But Kelsey Mitchell fell to us, and I feel a lot better about that. So what we need instead is a key wing who is able to not only be a leader and hit a big shot, but defend. I’m not sure that there’s a better defender available than Kayla Thornton.
Thornton, 32 years old, came over to New York in the Natasha Howard trade, and she played a key role for the Liberty as she spelled Betnijah Laney-Hamilton when she was injured. She plays in-your-face perimeter defense, and it’s something that my team desperately needs. She’ll be in the closing lineups most nights.
Phoenix Mercury
The Protected Players
Natasha Cloud
Kahleah Copper
Rebecca Allen
Sophie Cunningham
Natasha Mack
Diana Taurasi
What Our GM Says:
Phoenix is a wildcard team when considering the future of the franchise because a lot of their current offseason plans ultimately rest on Diana Taurasi’s future and whether or not she intends to retire. Taurasi teased retirement at the end of this season, but no announcement has been made either way. Outside of her plans, protecting Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper, Rebecca Allen, and Sophie Cunningham should be no-brainers. Each of these players averaged over 24 minutes a game in 2024 and will be fun to watch next season if they remain healthy as Cloud, Copper, and Allen all enter their second year in Phoenix under second-year coach Nate Tibbetts.
Copper had a career year in her first season in Phoenix, and Cloud remains one of the dynamic guards on both ends of the floor. While both Allen and Cunningham missed some time last season, they both play important roles.
Brittney Griner has reached her maximum number of core years and is therefore ineligible for the expansion draft. Phoenix will select 12th in the 2025 draft, given their pick swap with New York, and they’ll hope to get a solid role player to come off the bench.
I had a bit of a harder time deciding between Natasha Mack, Celeste Taylor, and Charisma Osbourne for the sixth and final spot, but ultimately if Taurasi stays, Mack’s upside and flashes during the 2024 season give her the advantage.
The Available Players:
Amy Atwell
Monique Billings
Celeste Taylor
Charisma Osborne
Klara Lundquist
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan
Golden State Selects:
Celeste Taylor ($64,154, 2025) – I would 100 percent pass here if I could. Brittney Griner being ineligible allows Phoenix an extra designation, kind of. Given the choices, I’ll go with second-year player Celeste Taylor.
Taylor bounced around her rookie year from Indiana to Phoenix, to Connecticut, and back to Phoenix where she played key minutes for the Mercury to close the season. She’s playing in Australia this offseason as she looks to continue to improve her game. I don’t know if she’ll make the opening night roster, but we will give her every single chance to earn a spot in training camp.
Seattle Storm
The Protected Players
Jewell Loyd
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Ezi Magbegor
Jordan Horston
Gabby Williams
Nika Mühl
What Our GM Says:
Seattle’s roster situation should make both the exercise and their front office’s job pretty easy. With just five players under contract for next season and Nneka Ogwumike ineligible to be selected by the Valkyries having already played multiple seasons under the core designation, the choice comes down to picking a UFA. Gabby Williams put on a show with France during the Olympics and performed great after settling back in Seattle, and she would be my sixth and final pick, hoping to bring her back for 2025. – Chris Wozniak
The Available Players:
Mackenzie Holmes
Joyner Holmes
Mercedes Russell
Sami Whitcomb
Victoria Vivians
Golden State Selects:
Mackenzie Holmes ($64,154*, n/a) – Like Leite, Holmes is an unsigned draft pick. Seattle’s only options were UFAs, so it was kind of Holmes or bust here. We’ll see what she brings us in training camp, but she’s the first cut from our roster once free agency hits.
Washington Mystics
The Protected Players
Ariel Atkins
Aaliyah Edwards
Emily Engstler
Karlie Samuelson
Brittney Sykes
Shakira Austin
What Our GM Says:
For my list, the players who should be locks to protect from the expansion draft are Ariel Atkins, Brittney Sykes, Shakira Austin, and Aaliyah Edwards. Atkins and Sykes are the two leading scorers for a team that finished ninth in points scored (79.3 PPG). Austin has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons, but she is still one of the best young players in the league, and the Mystics should continue to have her as part of their core for the future. Edwards, the Mystics’ 2024 first-round pick, gained big-minute experience as a rookie with how much she played in place of Austin.
Deciding on the final two spots was trickier to consider. It’s hard to pass up the chance to protect Samuelson, who is one of the best shooters and a player who has gradually gotten better throughout her time in the WNBA. Also, during Washington’s late-season surge for a possible postseason spot, Engstler provided such a nice spark on both sides of the ball and showcased how impactful her versatility can be for the team.
The Available Players:
Elena Delle Donne
Stefanie Dolson
Sika Koné
Li Meng
Sug Sutton
Julie Vanloo
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Bernadett Határ
Nastja Claessens
Txell Alarcón
Jade Melbourne
Golden State Selects:
Stefanie Dolson ($170,000, 2025) – This was extremely tough. We could have taken Elena Delle Donne as our UFA, but could we convince her to play with us across the country from her family after she sat out a season? Sika Koné has shown flashes, but it ultimately came down to Julie Vanloo or Stefanie Dolson.
Given how guard-heavy we are, we went with Dolson, who shot lights out from behind the arc last season. Dolson brings a championship pedigree to Golden State, and the 32-year-old can form a nice tandem with Amihere and Stokes to keep everyone fresh.
Final team:
| Player | Former Team | Position | Role | Contract | Final Year | Status |
| Laeticia Amihere | ATL | Power Forward | Starter | $79,999 | 2026 (team option) | Rookie contract |
| Dana Evans | CHI | Point Guard | Starter | $78,469 | 2024 | Restricted |
| Veronica Burton | CON | Point Guard | Backup | $50,180 | 2024 | Reserved |
| Carla Leite | DAL | Point Guard | Garbage time | $70,344* | N/A | Unsigned Rookie |
| Kelsey Mitchell | IND | Shooting Guard | Starter | $212,000 | 2024 | UFA (Max Eligible) |
| Kiah Stokes | LVA | Center | Starter | $103,000 | 2025 | Veteran |
| Stephanie Talbot | LAS | Wing | Depth | $125,000 | 2025 | Veteran |
| Diamond Miller | MIN | Small Forward | Starter | $83,371 | 2026 (team option) | Rookie contract |
| Kayla Thornton | NYL | Wing | Sixth woman | $112,000 | 2025 | Veteran |
| Celeste Taylor | PHX | Guard | Earn your way | $64,154 | 2025 | 0-2 year minimum |
| Mackenzie Holmes | SEA | Wing | First cut | $64,154 | N/A | Unsigned Rookie |
| Stefanie Dolson | WAS | Center | Backup big | $170,000 | 2025 | Veteran |
| Total Cap | $1,212,671 | League Minimum | $1,261,440 | 2025 Salary Cap | $1,507,100 |
What say you? Can this team compete? Are there any choices you would have made that differed from the ones that I made? What are the weaknesses and strengths of this roster?
