The WNBA offseason is heating up as teams are able to officially core players from January 11-January 20. However, what exactly is the core designation?
The core designation is often mentioned in the WNBA, but is not always explained in-depth. Today, we will be taking a close look at the core designation and what it means.
What is the core designation in the WNBA?
The core designation is similar to the franchise tag in the NFL. When a WNBA team designates someone as a core player, it means the team has exclusive negotiating rights with the player. The player, who likely would have been a free agent, becomes eligible to only discuss a contract with the team that decided to core her.
At the very least, the core designation gives the player a one-year, super-max contract. So even if a long-term deal doesn't come to fruition, that player will spend the upcoming season with the team they were cored by barring a trade.
Players who are cored by teams can be traded, though. For example, Kelsey Plum has been mentioned in trade rumors and the Las Vegas Aces recently made the decision to core her. Still, as mentioned, Plum is being mentioned in trade rumors.
The New York Liberty also cored Breanna Stewart. Stewart likely won't be traded, so she may play the 2025 season under a super-max contract with the Liberty.
How important is the WNBA core designation?
Making the decision to core players is of the utmost importance in the WNBA. It helps teams remain competitive, as it helps them keep their best players on the roster. Without the core designation rule, star players could change teams on a consistent basis in WNBA free agency, leading to potential competitive balance concerns.
Fans will hear the term quite consistently over the next couple of weeks. It is something to monitor as teams prepare for WNBA free agency. Teams can begin negotiating contracts with players on January 21, but contracts in free agency cannot officially be signed until February 1. There will still be a number of unrestricted free agents, but players such as Stewart and Plum will not be in that group.
So are only star players cored? Not necessarily, but star players are often cored given the super-max element. Star players are more likely to be cored, as it allows their current team to keep them on the roster.