The WNBA will hold an expansion draft for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo on Friday, April 3, which will allow both teams to finally put together their first rosteres after months of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations).
This year's expansion draft won't work exactly the same way last year's for the Golden State Valkyries did. This time around, teams can only protect five players and those players can be under contract or be free agents. The teams received the lists of protected players on Sunday.
Both teams can choose one unrestricted free agent and offer to core them (which gives that player the supermax salary). Unfortunately for both teams, that means around 100 players won't be available, and they will need to equally rely on the WNBA Draft.
Note: we previously made lists of potential protected players for High Post Hoops — now that the CBA is done and the rules clarified, we wanted to note that some players listed below may have originally been on those lists.
Portland Fire picks
First round
Atlanta Dream: Maya Caldwell
Bringing Caldwell onto the team would immediately give the Fire a much-needed experienced guard who can facilitate on the court and also lead a group that may ultimately end up trending younger. She's got plenty of time on the court left in her and can play on and off the ball on both ends of the court — which isn't something you see often on an expansion team in the W.
Seattle Storm: Ezi Magbegor
Magbegor was almost at the top of this list because she's such a solid pick. She'll bring experience to the team but also has plenty of years of basketball ahead of her, which makes her a player the Fire can build an identity around. As we saw with the Valkyries, that's almost as important as what a player brings to the court, skills-wise.
Golden State Valkyries: Cecilia Zandalasini
The idea that the Valkyries won't protect Zandalasini doesn't quite make sense, but it's entirely possible — and she would be a major steal. She can shoot from just about anywhere and fearlessly uses her size to her advantage up and down the court. Her time in San Francisco endeared her to WNBA fans, so she's also bring name regonition to a brand new team — and Portland isn't that far away.
Indiana Fever: Kristy Wallace
The Fever ended the season with a giant roster, and it's not exactly clear how the new CBA will impact the team going forward. But what is clear is that Wallace, who can definitely play both ends of the court, will be available.
Minnesota Lynx: Dorka Juhász
The Fire will want to bring in a few bigs who are reliable, and Juhász is certainly that. She's able to defend in the paint and moves well around the court. She's also more than proven herself, first at UConn and then overseas when she's not on the floor for the Lynx.
Phoenix Mercury: Lexi Held
Held has a history as a strong point guard who can command the floor, exactly the kind of energy a new and untested team will want around. Her 2025 rookie season in Phoenix allowed her to show off plenty of abilities, including shooting open threes.
Second round:
Los Angeles Sparks: Julie Allemand
Allemand was an incredible asset for the Sparks last season, which means she'd be an incredible steal for the Fire. She also hasn't quite the opportunity to prove everything she can do in the WNBA, but has more than done so as a two-time EuroBasket champion.
New York Liberty: Marine Johannès
Shooting is the name of Johannès' game, and she'll definitely bring that to Portland if they decide to have her. The team will need a whole pack off off-ball guards who can produce, and she'd be an excellent leader of the group.
Washington Mystics: Lucy Olsen
Olsen is another guard that's just good, and who can bring experience and scoring to the floor — and that's a lethal combination.
Dallas Wings: Maddy Siegrist
The Fire will want a player they can count on (well, they'll want more than one), and Siegrist is exactly that. You know she'll get buckets, you know she'll move the floor, and you know she's unselfish and will focus on what's best for the team.
Chicago Sky: Maddy Westbeld
The truth of the matter is that the Sky's front office didn't do the best job managing the team and its players last season, and Westbeld is a great example of a talented athlete who should be on the floor more than she is. Moving to an expansion team may give her more opportunities to show that this is true.
Connecticut Sun: Nikolina Milić
Nikolina Milić could really benefit from the opportunity to grow on a team that has the space to allow her to do so. With the Sun's move to Texas and uncertainty hanging in the air, a move to Portland may give her the room to do what she does well and to work on what's lacking.
Las Vegas Aces: ???
The Aces don't really have a lot of players to give, and this could be a team the Fire skips entirely.
Toronto Tempo picks
First round
Los Angeles Sparks: Azurá Stevens
Let’s get the unrestricted free agent out of the way first because it’s such a tricky pick. The Tempo have to select someone who they are sure will want to sign with the team or who can be cored. That eliminates most of the best veteran free agents. Not Azurá Stevens, though. She just played the best season of her WNBA career, but Cameron Brink’s return would push her into a bench role. So, why not become a star on an expansion team and see what she can do in a bigger role? She is also versatile enough to fit into virtually any lineup. Plus, Brondello found plenty of success with a two-way big who can space the floor before. While Stevens is not as good as Jonquel Jones, she fits a similar archetype.
Dallas Wings: Li Yueru
If Li Yueru is available, the Tempo should absolutely take her. There aren’t many players with her size, ability to space the floor, and untapped potential. A frontcourt headlined by Stevens and Yueru would be a solid starting point.
New York Liberty: Raquel Carrera
The Liberty have an abundance of players to choose from, including some proven WNBA role players. Raquel Carrera is more of a gamble, but a low-risk, high-reward one. The 24-year-old Spaniard played a strong game against a stacked Team USA roster in Puerto Rico and has been solid for Valencia all season long. If she’s ready to make her WNBA debut, she could be a contributor right away. If she’s not ready, controlling her rights could still be a valuable asset to have.
Chicago Sky: Sevgi Uzun
It’s time for some veteran perimeter play. Uzun can provide just that. She is currently playing well for Fenerbahce in the top Turkish league and EuroLeague competition, shooting around 38% from three and dishing out roughly four assists per game.
Las Vegas Aces: Aaliyah Nye
If the Aces don’t protect Aaliyah Nye for whatever reason, she is worth taking a swing on. She played very limited minutes for the Aces last season and could benefit from a bigger role and less pressure to deliver any time she steps onto the court. If her threes fall consistently, Nye could even be a long-term role player piece for the Tempo.
Washington Mystics: Emily Engstler
Taking Engstler is another gamble worth making. She was a lottery pick for a reason just a few years ago. If the Tempo can get her to translate her talent and potential to the W, landing her in the expansion draft would go down as a massive steal.
Second round
Atlanta Dream: Isobel Borlase
If Borlase is available, she is the perfect pick for the Tempo. She hasn’t made her WNBA debut yet, but was balling out in the WNBL in Australia in the meantime. She averaged 22.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.4 steals in the 2025-26 season. At only 21, she was the league’s leading scorer. Borlase’s nationality only sweetens the pot for the Tempo. Borlase is a member of the Australian national team—a team Sandy Brondello has been coaching for years. Even if she might not come to the W right away, having Borlase under team control would be a great asset.
Golden State Valkyries: Carla Leite
If the Valkyries are serious about contending for a title, they may decide that they are okay leaving a 21-year-old point guard who shot below 40% from the field unprotected to ensure they can keep around some of their more veteran players. Despite her inefficiency, Leite is too promising of a talent to pass up on if she’s available. She made an immediate impact as a perimeter defender and someone who can put pressure on the rim. She still has plenty of time to figure out everything else. If she’s protected, Laeticia Amihere would also be a great pick for the Tempo.
Phoenix Mercury: Kitija Laksa
Laksa’s rookie season with the Mercury did not reflect her talent as a 3-point shooter. She’s been knocking down threes at a high clip in Europe for years now. If she can bring that same efficiency to the W, she could be an impactful 3-point specialist for the Tempo.
Indiana Fever: Chloe Bibby
Speaking of 3-point shooting…Chloe Bibby shot the three very well for the Valkyries and Fever before an injury cut her first WNBA season short. When healthy, she could be an impactful role player, and she and Sandy Brondello have a connection through the Australian national team.
Minnesota Lynx: Anastasiia Kosu
Picking Kosu is another bet for the future. We didn’t see much from her last season with the Lynx, but we do know that she is a great athlete and she impressed Cheryl Reeve enough to make a veteran-heavy squad with championship aspirations. Give her a chance to play more and she may quickly turn into a young diamond in the rough. Young is the keyword here. Kosu is one of the youngest players in the league.
Last pick: Pass
The Tempo could choose from the Storm, Aces, or Sun here, but none of these teams will have super interesting players available at this point. So, the Tempo may be better served passing on this pick and looking for some veterans in free agency. Many of these selections offer a ton of upside, but Stevens, Yueru, and Engstler are the only players with at least three years of WNBA experience.