The Golden State Valkyries put together an impressive first season. So impressive, in fact, that it seems almost impossible for the newest expansion teams to replicate their success. Golden State was the first expansion team in league history to make the playoffs in its first season. They also built a winning culture and sold out every single home game.
The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will join the league for the next season. They may not be able to replicate the Valkyries’ success right away, but they can beat them in one area: free agency.
When it was time for the Valkyries to sign free agents for the first time, the top names available were Nneka Ogwumike, Brionna Jones, Brittney Griner, Natasha Howard, Tina Charles, DeWanna Bonner, Courtney Vandersloot, and Tiffany Hayes. The Valkyries landed Hayes, but no other major veteran free agent. They did sign All-Rookie Team member Janelle Salaün in free agency, though. The Fire and Tempo will have a much bigger free agent pool to choose from and the advantage that the Valkyries proved that an expansion team can be successful in its first season, making the idea of joining a new franchise more enticing.
This free agency period promises a lot of player movement
Unlike the last free agency period, almost every veteran will be a free agent ahead of the 2026 season. That list includes big-time stars such as A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jackie Young, Arike Ogunbowale, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Satou Sabally. While some of those players are unlikely to leave their current teams, others are primed to move on to a new home—maybe even Toronto or Portland.
Joining an expansion team has many advantages. It often comes with a big role, a chance to change one’s standing in the WNBA, the opportunity to help build a new culture up from the ground up, and, for some players, the chance to become the face of a team. Kayla Thornton, for example, went from being a role player to making her first All-Star team with the Valkyries. Veronica Burton morphed from a little-used rotational player into the engine behind the Valkyries’ offense, and Cecilia Zandalasini became one of the team’s prime shot makers after spending most of her time on the bench with the Lynx in 2024.
Their success may motivate other veterans to consider joining an expansion team in free agency, and the Fire and Tempo may come away with significantly more signings than the Valkyries did this year. Arike Ogunbowale, for example, could decide to look for a new opportunity to be the face of a team after the Wings turned over the keys to the franchise to Paige Bueckers. Bridget Carleton could choose to represent the first WNBA team in Canada.