As the WNBA preseason inches closer to the regular season, plenty of fans are wondering if and when Natasha Cloud will end up on a team. Cloud, who played for the New York Liberty in 2025, hasn't signed a deal — and there have been plenty of rumors about the reason why.
Some of those rumors have been shot down. The Liberty's GM emphasized during training camp that Cloud's willingness to be open about her personal and political beliefs had nothing to do with why she didn't sign a deal with the team this year. While other teams have not made similar statements, it's fair to assume that this is true more or less across the board. The WNBA is inherently a political league, and its athletes have rarely shied away from the opportunity to speak their truth.
Increasingly, it's starting to seem like the reason Cloud hasn't been signed has more to do with the WNBA market than anything. Cloud, who saw a lot of success with the Liberty last year, is in the so-called middle class of players. She's a major asset and absolutely an important part of any roster, but she's also not a superstar who can command the highest salary. As a result, she might have found herself bargaining for a role or salary amount that's been difficult to attain due to changes in the league.
The Liberty inherited Cloud's $200,000 contract from the Connecticut Sun last season. If Cloud was making $200,000 last year, it's reasonable that she expects to make significantly more this season, especially since the new CBA raised the league minimum to around $270,000. Cloud, who was drafted in 2015, is a seasoned veteran in the WNBA.
Cloud's own words have made it seem that she's holding out for a payday that she feels justifies what she brings to the court. As she wrote via Threads on Sunday, "I have yet to speak. That’s intentional & my power. I’ve just worked. No sulking, no whining. Work. & I will continue to work as I always have. Proving myself right year, after year, after year. (11) to be exact. I know who I am. I know my value/worth. & ain’t nothing traditional."
The implication is that Cloud has a certain amount of money she hopes to make — as is her right and likely her due — and that she's been negotiating with teams to reach that amount. The problem, then, might be that the current WNBA market simply can't accomodate her goals. She could potentially sign with a team for less than she wants to make, but that could set her up for years of accepting contracts that aren't appropriate for her experience and skill level.
Though the regular season begins next week, Cloud still has time. She can sign a deal before the season begins or even hold out and sign one after. Either way, it may be time to adapt to the market as it exists, which might not be the one she was hoping for.
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