Marta Suarez has put pen to paper on a second seven-day contract with the Phoenix Mercury -- another twist in what has been an exhausting year for the first-round pick out of TCU. This rollercoaster of events is no fault of the rookie forward, but an indictment of the current roster spots available to WNBA franchises.
The WNBA is a ruthless landscape at the best of times, but under its current roster ruling, it has never been more difficult for a young athlete to become accustomed to their surroundings -- just ask Marta Suarez.
After originally being selected by the Seattle Storm with the 16th overall pick of the WNBA draft, Suarez was traded to the Golden State Valkyries in a deal that saw Flau'Jae Johnson and a 2028 second-round pick head in the other direction. On May 2, the Valkyries waived the rookie, with the Phoenix Mercury snapping up the 24-year-old on a developmental contract.
Unfortunately for Marta, the nonsense didn't stop here. She was then relieved of her developmental contract with the Phoenix, allowing her to sign a seven-day contract on July 9. Naturally, this deal ran its course when July 16 rolled around, and now the Mercury have tied her down to a second seven-day contract.
While Marta Suarez will be delighted to continue her career at the highest level, the WNBA must find a way to review this glaring issue in the league's historic Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Current roster guidelines are failing franchises
It can't be denied that, under the fresh terms of the CBA, the WNBA is thriving in most areas. Players are displaying rejuvenated energy that is mirrored by extravagant scorelines and performances the league has never witnessed. In itself, this is proof that stars of the WNBA deserve the mouthwatering pay packet they are now being compensated with -- but not everything is perfect under this agreement.
The New York Liberty, Golden State Valkyries, and now, the Phoenix Mercury have all fallen victim to an abundance of player injuries, leaving the franchises with no choice but to exercise their right to use hardship contracts to bolster their roster.
Injuries are a part of sports and most of the time are an unavoidable circumstance of the trade; however, limited roster spots are putting an unsustainable strain on teams. More squad depth would not only provide coaches with an opportunity to rotate players more freely, but would also allow young stars like Marta Suarez a chance to prove their worth over a prolonged period of time.
Under the current CBA ruling, WNBA franchises can have a minimum of 11 players signed to their roster and a maximum of 12. Additionally, each team has the ability to grant two developmental contracts to players of its choosing. This contract allows players to be activated for up to 12 games a season and can be converted to a standard contract at any time.
While a franchise's salary cap would have to be adjusted to make room for two more standard contracts, it would be more beneficial for a franchise to expand its roster on a full-time basis. Not only that, but young players like Suarez shouldn't be exposed to such a high level of stress as they embark on their development journey. And let's be honest, how will a player really improve with a limit of 12 games per season?
Marta Suarez is just the latest example of how the WNBA's new CBA has fallen short. Yes, it may provide a fairer pay package for its athletes; however, the roster spot situation has become detrimental not only to franchises but also to the players who must endure constant changes to their contracts.
Add us as a preferred source on Google