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Tempo simply cannot escape heartbreak over missed offseason opportunity

Portland keeps reminding Tempo fans of what it stole from them.
ByElaine Blum|
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May 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello watches the game from the sideline during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
May 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello watches the game from the sideline during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Toronto Tempo had a franchise-defining choice to make before they even had any players on the roster: pick first in the expansion draft or get the sixth overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. They chose the latter and were rewarded with Kiki Rice, whose pro career is off to a great start. 

But that choice also cost the Tempo a valuable asset: Bridget Carleton. Carleton was one of the best players widely expected to be available in the expansion draft. She is also a star on the Canadian national team. She would have been the perfect face for Canada’s first-ever WNBA team. 

The Portland Fire put a quick, brutal end to that dream when they selected Carleton with the first pick in the expansion draft. To make matters worse, Carleton is thriving in Portland, having the best season of her career—something she also could’ve accomplished in Toronto. 

Every big game from Carleton is a painful reminder of what the Tempo could have had: a local talent transforming from a role player to a star.

New opportunities have already translated to new heights for Bridget Carleton

The Tempo and Fire took very different approaches when they built their first-ever rosters. Toronto went with experienced role players, sort of following the Valkyries’ blueprint, and the Fire went for untapped potential and youth. Carleton is one of only four players who are close to or older than 30, including 35-year-old rookie Teja Oblak. 

Carleton has responded to the challenge of being one of the most experienced and ready players on the roster—something she knows well from playing in Europe in the offseason. She leads the Fire in points, field-goal attempts, 3-point attempts, and steals per game in what is shaping up to be a career year. 

The 29-year-old had been a reliable role player for years before she came to Portland. She never averaged more than 9.6 points and 7.3 shot attempts per game, though. Six games into the season, she is averaging 16.5 points and 12 shots per game. 

Carleton helped the Fire beat the Tempo

Carleton showed out in her first regular-season game in Canada—a 99-80 win for the Fire. She recorded 15 points on 5-10 shooting from the field and 4-8 from three, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. 

She outscored every Tempo player except for Rice and Marina Mabrey and finished the matchup with a game-high +25 in the +/- column. 

Local fans welcomed Carleton with cheers, but seeing her thrive would have been much sweeter if she had landed in Toronto in the expansion draft. The Tempo signed Kia Nurse, another local talent, in free agency, which softens the blow a bit. 

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