It’s been a busy WNBA offseason with an expansion draft, free agency, and the college draft all happening in a flurry. Some teams stayed pretty much the same, while other teams changed drastically.
Some offseasons were more successful than others.
Atlanta Dream: A
The Dream kept last season’s core of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Bri Jones, and Naz Hillmon together and added Angel Reese. This is an even better team than what the Dream had last season.
Chicago Sky: C+
The Sky caught everyone by surprise when they traded Angel Reese, but adding Rickea Jackson, Skylar Diggins, Azurá Stevens, and DiJonai Carrington are all great additions on paper. The question is just whether it will crash and burn like everything else the organization has done in the last two years. Picking Gabriela Jaquez with the fifth overall pick was also an interesting decision that still needs to pay off.
Connecticut Sun: B
Connecticut didn’t have much to work with, but the front office made some solid moves. Brittney Griner and Kennedy Burke are great veterans to have around a young core, and Nell Angloma, Gianna Kneepkens, and Charlisse Leger-Walker are great gets for a team without any high draft picks.
Dallas Wings: A
The Wings worked hard to revamp the roster around Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. They signed Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Odyssey Sims and drafted Azzi Fudd. Awak Kuier will also return to Dallas after a EuroLeague DPOY season.
Golden State Valkyries: B-
The Valkyries may not have landed a superstar in free agency, but they kept Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, and Tiffany Hayes around and added Gabby Williams. Juste Jocyte is also expected to join the team this season. Even after an unfortunate draft, the Valkyries are set up pretty well to keep last season’s magic alive.
Indiana Fever: B
The Fever didn’t land a big fish in free agency, and they lost Natasha Howard. But they also held on to Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and Sophie Cunningham, added Monique Billings, Ty Harris, and Myisha Hines-Allen in free agency, and drafted well.
Las Vegas Aces: A+
The Aces kept together all of the most important players from their championship team. If that’s not a massive win, I don’t know what is.
Los Angeles Sparks: C
Convincing Nneka Ogwumike to come back to LA is big for a team hoping to build a championship contender, but the Sparks also lost Julie Allemand, Rickea Jackson, and Azurá Stevens.
Minnesota Lynx: C
The Lynx lost a ton of talent this offseason with Bridget Carleton and Maria Kliundikova being picked in the expansion draft and Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, Natisha Hiedeman, and DiJonai Carrington leaving in free agency. Natasha Howard is a great addition, but youngsters Olivia Miles and Dorka Juhasz will have to be excellent for the Lynx to remain super competitive.
New York Liberty: A-
Re-signing Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu and adding Satou Sabally is huge. But the Liberty also lost important depth pieces with Kennedy Burke, Nyara Sabally, and Isabelle Harrison.
Phoenix Mercury: D
The Mercury lost Satou Sabally in free agency and have been super quiet since. Valériane Ayayi is an interesting addition but not quite enough when you just lost the leading scorer from your finals team.
Portland Fire: C
If the Fire wanted to compete this season, their offseason would have been horrible. But it seems fair to assume that the organization has its eyes on JuJu Watkins and maybe even Sarah Strong. With that goal in mind, their uneventful offseason looks much better. This is not a very competitive roster.
Seattle Storm: C+
The Storm’s draft was great, as it brought Flau’jae Johnson and Awa Fam to town. Otherwise, the team’s offseason wasn’t great considering all of the All-Star departures. But if the organization is set on a rebuild and doesn’t mind losing a bit to get their young players experience and land another star, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Toronto Tempo: A-
The Tempo accomplished more in free agency than most would have imagined from the expansion team. After a great expansion draft, they convinced Marina Mabrey to sign with the team, landed Brittney Sykes, snatched Temi Fagbenle away from the Valkyries, and brought in Kia Nurse and Isabelle Harrison. They also drafted Kiki Rice.
Washington Mystics: C+
The Mystics got a lot of talent in the draft but they didn’t address their most important issues. None of their first-round picks are good 3-point shooters, so the spacing around Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin will remain bad. Moreover, the Mystics lost Alysha Clark, Stefanie Dolson, and Sug Sutton in free agency and didn’t replace their veteran leadership—leadership that’s so crucial when you have such a young roster.
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