After playing two seasons with the New York Liberty and winning a championship, Courtney Vandersloot seems ready to move on in free agency. At 35, Vandersloot is not in her prime anymore, and she just came off one of the worst statistical seasons of her career. In the playoffs, she even lost her starting spot to rookie Leonie Fiebich.
The Liberty’s priorities shifted, and so did Vandersloot’s role. She averaged the fewest minutes per game of her career, which in turn led to the dip in her production. In the previous season, Vandersloot still averaged 10.5 points and 8.1 assists in around 30 minutes per game.
Vandersloot still has plenty to offer and should receive much interest in free agency. Some teams would be better fits than others, though.
4. Golden State Valkyries
The Golden State Valkyries could potentially be in the mix for any player on the trade or free agency market. They got a bunch of interesting players in the expansion draft but are still missing a lot of pieces. One thing they could definitely use is a veteran playmaker to run the offense.
There is no guarantee that Carla Leite will come to the WNBA for the 2025 season, and Veronica Burton and Kate Martin have not been great playmakers so far in their WNBA careers. That would leave the Valkyries with Julie Vanloo as the team’s one reliable playmaker and point guard. Signing Vandersloot would address that need.
The Valkyries could offer Vandersloot a bigger role than the one she played for the Liberty in 2024, great facilities, and a chance to help shape the league’s newest franchise. If Vandersloot wants to compete, Golden State may not be the right spot, though, unless they also land a star like Alyssa Thomas or Kelsey Plum.
3. Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks need a reliable playmaker and point guard to run the offense. In the 2024 season, the Sparks ranked tenth in assists per game with 19.7 and eleventh in turnovers per game with 16. Courtney Vandersloot is the type of player who could fix that—a veteran who can take care of the ball and put the team’s young players in positions to succeed.
Vandersloot would be a solid option for the Sparks, but they might prefer to focus on someone younger and develop them alongside former first-round picks Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. They have the second pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and the chance to draft Olivia Miles or Paige Buckers.
Whoever the Sparks select with the second overall pick will get a lot of minutes, leaving only a smaller role for a veteran point guard. If Vandersloot is okay with filling a smaller role, she may as well join a team that can offer her a chance to compete. Vandersloot has said before that she wants to be competitive and Los Angeles does not seem like the right place for that at the moment.
2. Minnesota Lynx
Natisha Hiedeman is an unrestricted free agent and may very well be on her way out of Minnesota. She could simply be looking for a bigger role, and the Lynx will likely keep their eyes open for an upgrade. Courtney Vandersloot could be just that.
She most likely would not be able to start—there really is no reason for the Lynx to change the starting lineup that got them to Game 5 of the WNBA Finals if everyone is healthy—but she could play a vital role off the bench. The Lynx could use a high-level playmaker to back up Courtney Williams.
They could also use a veteran with championship experience. The Lynx want to compete and win a title, especially after coming so close in 2024. They are not necessarily a young team, but none of their current key players have won a championship yet.
1. Chicago Sky
The Chicago Sky have plenty of needs they must address ahead of the 2025 season. They need 3-point shooting, a go-to scorer to replace Chennedy Carter’s production, and a high-level playmaker to pair with Angel Reese. Vandersloot could help with the latter.
Angel Reese is the focal point of everything the Sky are currently building, and putting her in a position to succeed is the key to the franchise’s future. A veteran playmaker might be just what she needs to reach the next level. In Unrivaled, Reese is currently playing with Chelsea Gray and benefitting from the veteran’s presence. Vandersloot could have a similar impact on the Sky. Plus, Angel Reese is said to be working hard to recruit free agents while playing in Unrivaled and the Sky already had a meeting with Vandersloot in Miami.
Vandersloot spent the first twelve seasons of her career in Chicago. If she is ready for a return and to help usher along the next generation of Sky stars, this would be a great fit for her. However, one issue may be that the Sky might not be very competitive unless they can make a