The Minnesota Lynx were one of the teams expected to take a step backward this season. With Napheesa Collier sidelined for much of the season and Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman, and Jessica Shepard, among others, all leaving in the offseason, it was difficult to imagine that the Lynx would be as strong as they had been for the last two years.
Cheryl Reeve quickly laid those doubts to rest. She drafted Olivia Miles, signed Natasha Howard and Nia Coffey in free agency, and put together another team bound to finish with the best record in the league.
However, if the Lynx fail to win a championship for the third year in a row, the roster could undergo another league-altering change. Napheesa Collier might leave in free agency.
Minnesota has a good shot at the championship, but winning it all is easier said than done—and they know that very well.
Napheesa Collier will be a free agent after this season
When Napheesa Collier signed a one-year deal to return to Minnesota this offseason, rumors about her future emerged immediately. Many seem to think that she is on her way out and will sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent after this season. That’s very much a possibility.
Playing with Olivia Miles is certainly appealing for a veteran forward, but if the Lynx don’t win a championship again, one has to wonder if it’s time for a change. If Collier, Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, and Reeve cannot win a title with Miles coming in, will they ever get it done?
Collier could give it another year to see if having a more experienced point guard changes things, but she could also look at what Golden State, for example, is doing and try to win a title there with her UConn teammate Gabby Williams.
It seems the only way to ensure that Collier will be back in Minnesota is to win this year’s WNBA title. If the Lynx finally win a championship with a rookie point guard in the starting lineup, it would be crazy for Collier not to re-sign and see what else they can do as Miles continues to mature.
Losing Collier wouldn’t destroy the Lynx anymore
The prospect of potentially losing an MVP candidate is tough. But with Miles coming in ready to take over, it won’t crush the Lynx. Miles is an MVP candidate in her own right and much younger than Collier. Yes, losing Collier would hurt, but the Lynx would be just fine because they already have another star to build around.
While Collier and Miles would be a great duo to have for at least a few more years, the franchise’s future no longer rests solely on Collier. Miles is under contract through the 2028 season with a team option coming up in 2029. After that, she will be a restricted free agent, meaning that the Lynx can match any offer from another team and re-sign her easily. They can also core her.
Miles is locked in as a superstar in Minnesota for at least the rest of the decade, and Reeve has proven that she can build a winning team around her with or without Collier.
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