This WNBA offseason will be an especially exciting one. A new CBA will be negotiated, Unrivaled Basketball will tip off its inaugural season in January, and a new franchise is getting ready to take the court in the 2025 season. WNBA fans had been calling for an expansion for quite some time already, and now it is finally here.
The Golden State Valkyries will become the thirteenth franchise and first take the court in the 2025 WNBA season. Until then, the Valkyries must put together their initial roster. One big milestone in that process will be the expansion draft on December 6.
In the expansion draft, the Valkyries will have the chance to select one player from every team or negotiate trades with their new opponents. The other teams all get to protect six players in the expansion draft, and some organizations will have to make difficult decisions.
The Minnesota Lynx are one of those teams. After last season’s run to the WNBA Finals, the Lynx’s priority should obviously be to keep their core together, but they must also keep an eye on the future.
Who should the Minnesota Lynx protect in the expansion draft?
1. Napheesa Collier
Protecting Napheesa Collier is a no-brainer for the Lynx. She is the team’s star, who led the Lynx in points, rebounds, and steals per game last season and won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Collier is the face of the franchise and will decide how close the Lynx can get to returning to the finals next season.
2. Kayla McBride
Through 39 regular season games, Kayla McBride was the Lynx’s second-leading scorer and shot an excellent 40.7 percent from three on 6.6 attempts per game. The veteran also had some big games in the playoffs and played an instrumental role in the Lynx’s run to Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.
McBride’s ability to defend and space the floor will be crucial if the Lynx want to return to the big stage. Thus, protecting her should be an easy decision for the Lynx.
3. Courtney Williams
Courtney Williams may not be a traditional point guard, but she has filled the position well for the Lynx, finishing the regular season seventh in assists per game across the league. On top of that, Williams is almost unguardable in the mid-range and gives the Lynx some fire. Minnesota fared well with Williams as the starting point guard and will give her at least a second season with the team.
4. Bridget Carleton
Bridget Carleton was the ultimate 3-and-D wing for the Lynx during the 2024 season. She shot 44.4 percent from three on 5.3 attempts per game and played good defense on the perimeter. Carleton is exactly the kind of player the Lynx need to put around Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams and should thus protect her in the expansion draft.
5. Alanna Smith
After limited playing time in her first few seasons, Alanna Smith broke out in 2023 with the Chicago Sky. Now, it seems she has found her place with the Lynx. Smith is the perfect center to have next to Collier.
She averaged 10.1 points per game during the regular season and shot 39.8 percent from three on three attempts per game, while also defending at a high level. Despite being only 6’4” at the five, Smith averaged 1.5 blocks per game, which had her ranked sixth in the league.
Smith is a valuable two-way player who can space the floor, and the Lynx should definitely protect her in the expansion draft to see what she can do for the team in her second season in Minnesota.
6. Diamond Miller
This is where it becomes tricky. Protecting the starting five that carried the Lynx to the finals should be an easy choice. But who should get the last spot on the list?
Considering that all the Lynx’s starters are veterans, Minnesota will likely protect a young player. Three players on the Lynx’s roster are under the age of 25—Diamond Miller, Alissa Pili, and Dorka Juhasz. The first two were high draft picks, but Juhasz was the only one who contributed to the Lynx’s run to the finals. She provided good size as the backup big, but her production dropped significantly in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Miller and Pili weren’t even in the Lynx’s regular rotation. The Lynx will have to make a tough choice because they can only protect one of their young players and there really is no one right choice.
Protecting Miller is somewhat of a gamble, as she has been dealing with injuries. And yet, Miller projects to have the highest ceiling out of that group. Plus, the Lynx spent the second overall pick in the 2023 draft on her and will likely want to see what Miller can become at the WNBA level.