The Minnesota Lynx have two players under contract for the 2026 season: Dorka Juhasz, who took this season off, and rookie Anastasiia Kosu. Everyone else will be a free agent in the offseason. This is due to the new CBA, which still hasn’t been signed, rather than because the Lynx’s key players necessarily want to break up the party after this season. Still, there could be some significant player movement.
The Lynx could also suffer a painful loss on the sidelines, however. There are already four head coaching vacancies in the WNBA, and the Lynx have a star-studded coaching staff. Cheryl Reeve is one of the most decorated head coaches in the league, and assistant coaches Lindsay Whalen and Rebekkah Brunson had illustrious playing careers before going into coaching.
Now, Brunson and Whalen may draw some interest from teams looking for new head coaches. Seeing either join a new team would be a massive loss for the Lynx.
Brunson has been with the Lynx since 2020
Rebekkah Brunson spent 15 years in the WNBA, suiting up for the Sacramento Monarchs and Minnesota Lynx. She won five championships with the Lynx, was named an All-Star five times, and made seven All-Defensive teams. She is undoubtedly one of the most decorated players to join the assistant coaching ranks in the WNBA.
Brunson first became an assistant coach with the Lynx in 2020 and has been on Cheryl Reeve’s staff ever since. Her experience of working with Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith—an MVP candidate and the league’s last two (co) Defensive Players of the Year—after playing the forward position herself should make her an interesting candidate for the coaching job in Seattle. After all, the Storm hope to develop Dominique Malonga and help her become the face of the franchise.
Plus, the WNBA coaching ranks sorely lack Black women.
Lindsay Whalen is in her first season as an assistant coach with the Lynx
Much like Brunson, Lindsay Whalen found immense success with the Lynx. She joined the team in 2010 after spending a few years with the Sun and won four championships. She was also an All-Star five times over her career, made five All-WNBA teams, and led the league in assists three times.
After retiring from the WNBA, Whalen started coaching at her alma mater, the University of Minnesota, in 2018. She was the head coach there until 2023 when she was let go after a Big Ten tournament loss to Penn State. Whalen joined Reeeve’s coaching staff ahead of this WNBA season.
Although she hasn’t been on the Lynx’s coaching staff for too long, Whalen’s impact has already been felt. When Courtney Williams broke the Lynx’s franchise record for assists in a single season, she credited Whalen with helping her evolve her game.