2 Liberty players who won't be back next year after winning WNBA Finals

The New York Liberty won the 2024 WNBA Finals. New York enjoyed an all-around memorable season and now they are champions. They have celebrated over the past few days, but the Liberty are also in the process of preparing for potential offseason moves. New York will surely look to make some offseason acquisitions to further bolster the roster, but the Liberty may also lose some impactful players.

The Liberty utilized a complete team effort to defeat the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. They would probably like to return a similar roster. Breanna Stewart is among the Liberty's free agents, but it would be surprising to see her leave New York.

However, there are two players who may leave the team following the 2024 season.

2. Nyara Sabally or Kayla Thornton

WNBA expansion is exciting. It is a sign that the league is continuing to grow. It also means that there is an expansion draft. Each team is able to protect six players in the draft, which means players such as Nyara Sabally and Kayla Thornton may be available for the Golden State Valkyries.

Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones will be protected without question. Leonie Fiebich, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Sabally and Thornton are all candidates to be protected as well. One has to imagine that Laney-Hamilton and Fiebich will end up getting protected, so then it may come down to Sabally or Thornton.

Of course, a player is not guaranteed to get selected just because they do not get protected before the draft. However, Sabally and Thornton are impactful players who will probably catch the Valkyries' attention, especially since New York just won the WNBA Finals.

1. Courtney Vandersloot

Vandersloot, 35, is set to enter free agency. It remains to be seen if she will continue her WNBA career. If Vandersloot opts to return, there is a chance she could sign elsewhere.

New York's primary focus will be re-signing Breanna Stewart. Stewart is going to receive a lucrative deal, and New York still has other star players' contracts to consider. As a result, they may be hesitant to pay Vandersloot in free agency.

Vandersloot is a five-time All-Star who is still more than capable of playing a big role for any team in the WNBA. In 2024, she was limited to 31 games and averaged only 6.4 points per outing during that span. Nevertheless, Vandersloot is still a quality WNBA player.

If she decides to return to the league for at least one more season, though, she may end up signing with a different team.