The long WNBA offseason is about to heat up, with free agency set to begin later this month. Teams will be allowed to start speaking with players on Jan. 21, though no deals can officially be signed until Feb. 1. Between now and then, there figures to be plenty of interesting speculation.
For much of the league’s history, free agency didn’t matter all that much. Key players rarely became free agents due to the length of contracts and the number of times a franchise could use the core designation. That all changed with the new collective bargaining agreement in 2020. Now, free agency is a key aspect of the calendar, just like any other league.
That’s no different this year, with a number of superstars set to hit the market, including five former MVPs: Breanna Stewart (2018, 2023), Jonquel Jones (2021), Elena Delle Donne (2015, 2019), Nneka Ogwumike (2016) and Candace Parker (2008, 2013). And that doesn’t include the likes of Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner and Satou Sabally.
One way or another, the league is going to shift this winter. Ahead of all the action and intrigue, here’s everything you need to know:
When does free agency start?
Teams can start talking to free agents on Jan. 21, but…
