The Minnesota Lynx didn't get the 2025 WNBA Finals finish the team wanted this year, but that doesn't mean the team doesn't have plenty to contemplate — and even look forward to — ahead of the 2026 season. Though the wound from yesterday's 86-81 loss is still very fresh, the Lynx have the opportunity to begin a major comeback that includes drafting UCLA center Lauren Betts.
Betts is already a frontrunner to be a top 3 draft pick in 2026, and the Lynx currently own the No. 2 overall selection. A lot can change between now and the end of the 2025-26 collegiate season, but odds are Betts (who is on her own redemption/revenge tour after UCLA lost to UConn during the Final Four tournament in April) will continue to perform at the highest level.
Though the Lynx had a strong 2025 season and finished out as the No. 1 team in the league, there was an undercurrent of chatter about the team's size. Minnesota wasn't the biggest team out there this season, a factor that might have hurt them as they progressed through the Semifinals. Drafting Betts, who is 6'7", would be a solid first step in addressing that issue — and would give the Lynx a player they can ultimately build around for years to come.
Free agency will impact the decisions the Lynx make
Of course, before we can really even begin to speculate about what would or wouldn't be a good decision for the 2026 WNBA Draft, every team in the league will have to contend with a 2026 free agency that will be, frankly, pretty wild.
The majority of the Lynx's roster will be unrestricted free agents, and Minnesota will have to put out big deals to retain at least some of them. Most of Minnesota seems to have strong loyalty to the team and front office, so the challenge may not be that steep — but free agency often brings about a lot of surprises, and the Minnesota Lynx of 2025 may not be standing in 2026.
Perhaps more than most teams in the W, Minnesota has put together a roster that ultimately plays better than apart. That chemistry, which Kayla McBride touched on during an emotional postgame interview Sunday, could keep the band together. The Fire and the Tempo will also be factors every team will need to consider, especially if the expansion drafts for both teams proceed as planned.