The Washington Mystics and the New York Liberty offered up a bit of a surprise this week. New York made the surprise decision to waive Betnijah Laney-Hamilton — and the Mystics surprised a lot of league watchers by claiming her off waivers. The 11-year veteran didn't play a lot of minutes for the Liberty this season, but she's been with the team since 2021 and was part of the WNBA Championship-winning squad in 2024.
The Liberty hasn't offered much in terms of an explanation, but the Mystics' decision is easy to understand once the initial shock has worn off. The team has made it clear that their chemistry is the most important part of what they're focusing on and building this season. That's something the team's president Michael Winger told ESPN. Winger also made it clear that the organization felt Laney-Hamilton could bring a strong veteran presence to what's been the youngest squad in the WNBA, and may even end up being a crucial part of the team's longer-term goals.
The Mystics were forced to waive Rori Harmon, who graduated from Texas this year, but they resigned Harmon to a developmental contract days later. New York also announced the team has signed Marine Fauthoux to a multi-year deal after Laney-Hamilton's departure.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton already fits in with the Mystics
Though she hasn't played for the team yet, it already sounds like Laney-Hamilton is going to fit in well with the team. She led the pregame huddle when the Mystics played the Phoenix Mercury this week, and has clearly already established her leadership role. The team has benefitted from having both Michaela Onyenwere and Shakira Austin on the roster this season, but Laney-Hamilton will bring a new dimension to what is already working well.
Washington hasn't hidden the fact that the team is young (not that they really could), and it's been widely assumed the front office is laying a foundation for things that will build over time. But the players themselves didn't interpret that as any reason to slack off, and the team is ranked sixth in the league at the time of writing. That puts a team that's the youngest in the league solidly in the playoffs if they can keep it up, and the addition of Laney-Hamilton will likely mean they can.
The WNBA will take a two-week hiatus later this month ahead of the FIBA World Cup, and then teams will play their final games in September.
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