Top 15 WNBA free agents: Where will Breanna Stewart, Tina Charles and Diana Taurasi end up?
Top 15 WNBA free agents: Where will Breanna Stewart, Tina Charles and Diana Taurasi end up?
By Chantel Jennings
Oct 12, 2022
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With the 2022 WNBA season in the rearview mirror, it’s time to turn our attention to free agency. This offseason is certain to be exciting with a few players who’ve already experienced the post-CBA free agency world, while others are dipping their toes in the water for the first time.
We broke down the league on a team-by-team basis, noting where each franchise stands in terms of its salary cap and options, but now we’re taking a player perspective. Who are the most valuable free agents? And why? Will any veteran players take a page out of Sue Bird’s career playbook and stay put? Or will we see major movement among the league’s elite?
Here’s a closer look at the 15 most valuable WNBA free agents this year.
Editor’s note: All free agents are unrestricted free agents unless marked otherwise (as a restricted free agent or RFA). Unrestricted free agents are able to negotiate with any team. Restricted free agents can negotiate with any team, but their previous team has the first right of refusal, meaning if they can match the terms of another agreement, the RFA will stay with their previous team.
All statistics used are full regular-season stats from the 2022 season.
1. Breanna Stewart
21.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Stewart was an unrestricted free agent last season and signed a one-year supermax deal with Seattle for 2022. But before she signed, she visited New York Liberty owners Joe and Clara Tsai as well as Liberty coach Sandy Brondello in Los Angeles. “Obviously, I knew where my heart was and what I’m comfortable in Seattle, but wanting to have the opportunity to talk to other organizations to see what they’re about and how they run things,” Stewart told The Seattle Times. “I just felt like I would be doing a disservice to myself, if I didn’t ask those questions, and also to everyone else in the league. We can’t always just go back to what we know without asking questions.” The four-time All-WNBA first-team member is a franchise-changing player, so one can assume that every WNBA team that can afford Stewart (or, in the case of New York, could be willing to trade players to make the room in its salary cap to afford Stewart) is going to at least make a run at her. It would be silly not to. But given her New York state roots, an already-established relationship with Liberty ownership and her young daughter, returning “home” could make a lot of sense for Stewart and her wife.
2. Courtney Vandersloot
11.8 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
Vandersloot, like Stewart, was an unrestricted free agent last season but chose to re-sign with the Sky on a one-year deal, remaining in the city where she has spent her entire career. The Sky’s hope then was to bring back the entire championship crew (plus a few others) and run it back. However, Chicago’s season ended in the semifinals, and Vandersloot, along with several Sky teammates, are now free agents. Vandersloot made $195,000 this past season, but considering the demand for an elite point guard by several WNBA teams, her price has gone up. One intriguing landing spot could be with the Storm, who will be looking for a point guard following Bird’s retirement. Vandersloot, a Washington state native, played her college ball at Gonzaga. Also, like Stewart, Vandersloot could potentially see a benefit in returning “home” with wife Allie Quigley (who is from the Chicago suburbs, so there’s also the appeal of staying in Chicagoland).
3. Candace Parker
13.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG
The 15-year WNBA vet has not yet made clear her intentions for her future. She has spoken repeatedly about how she’ll know it’s time to step away when she can’t give the game her best, but after this season and her performances, few would say she isn’t still able to make her mark on the game. The question is whether she feels the same.
If she returns, teams will certainly be inquiring about Parker. She surprised the WNBA world when she departed Los Angeles after the 2021 season to sign with the Sky. Her impact was immediate, and the Sky won their first league title in franchise history in Parker’s first season. Now, two years later and a free agent once again, Parker has decisions to make. The pull to return “home” to Chicagoland was real, but Parker also stated how much she wanted to play with Vandersloot. If Vandersloot departs the Sky, could the same hold true for Parker? There wouldn’t be another obvious landing spot for her, unless she chooses to return to L.A. — where she owns a home and where her daughter, Lailaa, attends school — but that decision likely depends on the new direction of the Sparks franchise, which has yet to hire a GM or coach.
4. Nneka Ogwumike
18.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.7 SPG
For the first time since the historic CBA that Ogwumike helped craft as WNBA Players Association president, the veteran will be entering the new era of free agency. But if she was being forthright in her exit interview at the end of this past season, her free agency might not be as much of a whirlwind as others’. Ogwumike said she would “love” to be with the Sparks in 2023 and that the 2022 season — in which the Sparks went 13-21, GM/coach Derek Fisher was removed from his positions mid-season and Liz Cambage departed the team mid-season — was like “living in a house you didn’t build. So next year we can build our house. I know the floor plan next year.” Using “we” and “our” certainly implies Ogwumike intends to stay put. With her production and presumably several fruitful seasons ahead for her, there isn’t a GM in the league who would see her as anything but a major asset, especially with a franchise to which she has already contributed so much.
Will Brionna Jones, the WNBA’s Sixth Player of the Year, stay in Connecticut? (Mary Holt / USA Today)
5. Brionna Jones
13.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.2 SPG
After starting during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Jones came off the bench this past season and was an absolute spark for the Sun’s frontcourt. But now, the reigning Sixth Player of the Year is a free agent and without Sun GM Curt Miller making moves around Connecticut’s current protected deals, he won’t be able to keep Jones in a Sun jersey. Jones led the league in offensive rebound percentage, making her an extra attractive prospect for teams looking to bolster their paint production. With Minnesota losing Sylvia Fowles to retirement, the Lynx will be in search of a player who can keep their points in the paint and second-chance points high. But they won’t be the only team in search of a big like Jones. Really, anywhere could be a potential landing spot.
6. Emma Meesseman
12.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 SPG
In her first season with Chicago, Meesseman was well-rounded and productive — something we’ve come to expect from her. As a member of the Sky’s excellent passing arsenal, Meesseman shot a career-best from the floor (57 percent) while contributing 3.8 assists per game. In her exit interview, the Belgian said she felt the WNBA prioritization rule is unfair to international players, but whether it inhibits her from playing in the league in 2023 remains to be seen. (She missed the 2018 and 2021 seasons.) Meesseman enjoyed her season in Chicago alongside point guard Julie Allemand and assistant coach Ann Wauters, a current and a former Belgian national team teammate, so remaining in Chicago could be likely. However, a return to Washington, where Meesseman spent the first seven years of her WNBA career and has a great comfort level, could also be a nice fit as Mystics GM Mike Thibault looks to add to his core group seeking another WNBA title. (Meesseman was the WNBA Finals MVP during the Mystics’ 2019 run.)
7. Azurá Stevens
10.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.1 BPG
Stevens had a pretty efficient season for the Sky, mostly coming off the bench. Most impressively: As her 3-point attempts nearly tripled, her percentage from long range increased to 36 percent. Her landing spot could depend on what happens with Parker’s and Meesseman’s free agency periods, as Stevens is likely hoping to play for a team where she can average more than 22 minutes a game. With this past season’s rotation in Chicago, it’s unclear how likely that may be. Teams eyeing Stevens understand the 26-year-old has a long career ahead of her and with the right pieces around her, she could lay the foundation for a franchise.
8. Diana Taurasi
16.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 0.7 SPG
After 18 seasons in Phoenix would Taurasi really leave? It seems highly unlikely, but it’d also be silly to count out the notion that Taurasi isn’t at least going to take some calls. The 40-year-old doesn’t have a decade of playing ahead, but her offensive production is enough to make some GMs (and arenas that want to sell tickets) interested in the vet. Additionally, with Suns/Mercury majority owner Robert Sarver selling the teams following investigative reporting and a subsequent law firm’s report into Sarver’s racist and sexist behaviors, could a disappointment in leadership or an uncertainty in ownership be enough to make Taurasi want to end her career somewhere more stable?
9. Tina Charles
14.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 BPG
Charles has played for one-third of all WNBA teams in her last three seasons. That’s … quite a bit of movement. So would it be surprising to see her land at a fifth franchise? Certainly not. The question is: Which one? She’s still producing at an efficient clip, and even in an offense like Seattle’s, where she wasn’t the first or second option, she was still a net positive. Charles is hunting a title, and she showed last season that she was willing to take less money if it meant being in the race. (She signed with Phoenix for $108,000 ahead of the season and then took the vet minimum when she signed with Seattle.) So, in terms of a production-for-your-buck player, Charles could be a good fit for a title-contending team. Where is that in the league exactly? Hard to say.
10. Marina Mabrey (RFA)
13.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.8 SPG
Dallas will have an opportunity to match any offer Mabrey receives as a restricted free agent. It’s fair to assume that the Wings will do what they can to keep Mabrey in the fold … but will it be enough? Her offensive production during the final 10 games of the season — averaging 19.1 points while shooting 49 percent on 2s and 42 percent on 3s — certainly captured some attention and made more than a few people wonder what her offensive game could look like with more shot attempts in a scheme. Potential landing spots? Depending on what happens with Connecticut’s contracts, Miller could look to add depth on the outside with perimeter shooters; Seattle, with its nearly empty roster, may want to balance Jewell Loyd’s offensive playmaking with another scorer; Indiana certainly would be happy to add a scorer of Mabrey’s stature.
11. Isabelle Harrison
8.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.3 APG
Harrison’s minutes took a nosedive at the end of the season, going from 21 minutes per game through the first 20 games of the season to half of that through the final 10. So it seems highly unlikely that we’ll see Harrison in a Wings jersey come 2023 (that, plus her very public displeasure with the leadership). But as an athletic 6-foot-3 forward, Harrison could bring a lot of value to franchises in an expanded role, and there are certainly teams — like Atlanta, Seattle and Phoenix — that could be interested in her.
Will Indiana pursue Sparks free agent Brittney Sykes? (Juan Ocampo / NBAE via Getty Images)
12. Brittney Sykes
12.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
During her exit interview, Sykes didn’t say much about her 2023 free agency plans, only noting that the past season had heavily weighed on her. There’s not much to glean from that in terms of her WNBA future. She spent the first three seasons of her career in Atlanta and the last three in Los Angeles, but could she be on the move? Indiana, with interim GM Lin Dunn’s defensive mindset and an opportunity to play heavy minutes, would be a perfect fit for Sykes (who led the league with two steals per game). But the Fever wouldn’t be the only team searching for a player who has scoring potential (her season-finale 35 points against Dallas on 13-of-17 shooting is memorable) with a defensive mindset. Dallas, too, likely remembers that game and appreciates Sykes’ defensive prowess and could go after the six-year vet.
13. Gabby Williams (RFA)
7.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.5 SPG
Williams’ offseason team in France is in a league (unlike others) that has not committed to adjusting to allow for WNBA prioritization (where players must return in time to avoid being docked money), so it’s not certain whether Williams will be in the WNBA in 2023. But if she is, she would be a valuable addition to a lot of rosters with her physicality, defensive length and energy. During her exit interview, she stated she really enjoyed the 2022 season in Seattle, and because of that, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her back in the Pacific Northwest in 2023.
14. Courtney Williams
11.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.0 SPG
Williams’ 2022 unrestricted free agency talk was dominated by a video that showed her fighting in an Atlanta parking lot, but her play in Connecticut this past season has her 2023 free agency focused on basketball. Within the Sun system, she isn’t as much of a focal point as she has been in seasons past, but she was key in getting Connecticut to the 2022 WNBA Finals (much as she was in 2019 during the Sun’s run). Her mid-range game continues to be strong (she’s shooting 43 percent from mid-range, according to Pivot Analysis, the third-best percentage of her seven-year career), and there are teams that will want to add to their guard arsenal with Williams’ solid skill set.
15. Alysha Clark
8.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG
Clark’s shooting percentages have decreased since returning from Lisfranc surgery, which kept her out of the 2021 season. But in terms of players who can contribute on both ends of the floor in a big way, Clark is a very good option this free agency. For that reason, some teams will be interested in the 5-11 forward.
More players to watch: Jordin Canada, Teaira McCowan (RFA), Tiffany Mitchell, Kia Nurse, Chiney Ogwumike, Kiah Stokes, Allie Quigley, Stephanie Talbot, Erica Wheeler, Sami Whitcomb.
just wanted to say that it'd be interesting if the W's free agency period ever started right after the Finals ended. with all the various MLB free agency news in recent weeks, it really keeps the MLB in the foreground of sports all the way through Christmas.
granted, MLB only has maybe four months off from the last world series game (early november) until the day pitchers & catchers report to spring training (late february), so things naturally have to move faster.
different story for the W, with a solid six months off (mid october until training camps start in late april – though it's basically seven this year!). and free agency doesn't even start until february, which is about 3.5 months of absolutely nothing! stupid!
the league needs to negotiate a seven-month season in the next CBA, more months on than off. though it may be easier to (also) negotiate starting free agency as early as new year's day, cuz all this dead time even in a normal year let alone this year does them absolutely no good.
I think that's something that can be negotiated with a new CBA. A longer season would also contribute. 44-game season from May-Sept. with playoffs in October. Have free agency start about a month after the last possible date of the finals.
i mean, i'm sure they do free agency so late cuz of all these players who play overseas. GMs probably wouldn't want to sign players who are barely halfway into their overseas season due to risk of injury. but now, here comes prioritization, which'll work to discourage players from doing precisely that. so hopefully earlier free agency is the natural direction they're already trying to go in
free agency starting like even a week after the Finals would be batshit crazy though lol, in a very fun way!
just wanted to say that it'd be interesting if the W's free agency period ever started right after the Finals ended. with all the various MLB free agency news in recent weeks, it really keeps the MLB in the foreground of sports all the way through Christmas.
granted, MLB only has maybe four months off from the last world series game (early november) until the day pitchers & catchers report to spring training (late february), so things naturally have to move faster.
different story for the W, with a solid six months off (mid october until training camps start in late april – though it's basically seven this year!). and free agency doesn't even start until february, which is about 3.5 months of absolutely nothing! stupid!
the league needs to negotiate a seven-month season in the next CBA, more months on than off. though it may be easier to (also) negotiate starting free agency as early as new year's day, cuz all this dead time even in a normal year let alone this year does them absolutely no good.
I think that's something that can be negotiated with a new CBA. A longer season would also contribute. 44-game season from May-Sept. with playoffs in October. Have free agency start about a month after the last possible date of the finals.
I think they'll need to expand stretch the scheduling window into November in order to not pack in 44 games in a normal season, let alone an olympic one. the CBA currently says the finals can be held as late as october 31 – what's a couple more weeks?
expanding the other way by starting the season earlier (march? february?) would be unhinged in a way that i'd be really interested to see – really discourages players from playing overseas even more and also causes them to completely change their draft date and when rookies join teams – but ultimately i think the NBA wouldn't want that.
there's gonna be a fuckton of players available in the 2025 Draft. A LOT of players will be losing eligibility after the '24-'25 college season. I wonder if the W realizes this and if so, has any plans for it, cuz that would be when a change could happen. (Actually, 2021 would've been a stellar year to completely switch up the draft schedule for multiple reasons, but we're obviously well past that now.) What those plans would be, idk...
Until the WNBA actually starts paying more than Europe, I doubt the not insignificant amount of players who play both would be keen about having a longer season.
Personally, I'd prefer longer playoffs series than more regular season games. Best of 7 semis and finals are more exciting than padding out the regular season.
I hope that Engelbert stops dragging her feet on expansion and we'll get two teams added by 2025. The NWSL has over 30 ownership groups interested currently and will likely be at 16 teams by 2026. I would ideally like the league at 16 teams by 2027, but don't see it happening under Engelbert's watch. With that being said, at 16 teams, the league could have a 52 game schedule (4x vs. conference opponents, 3x vs. non-conference opponents)
Until the WNBA actually starts paying more than Europe, I doubt the not insignificant amount of players who play both would be keen about having a longer season.
Personally, I'd prefer longer playoffs series than more regular season games. Best of 7 semis and finals are more exciting than padding out the regular season.
This could come with a new TV deal that would fall in line with a new CBA. Probably nothing happening until 2025 the earliest.
i'm in favor of just a longer well-rounded schedule.
—longer playoffs (7-game finals and 7-game semis?) —longer regular season (no more than 50-52 games but realistically 44-48) —longer preseason (1-2 extra weeks, 1-2 extra games)
which kinda naturally gets you to that 7-/8-month schedule target.
The WNBA's preseason is laughable. Some teams play one game only. No games are televised or streaming anywhere. We have to wait for box scores to keep refreshing to get some insight. Imagine this happening in the NBA.
Preseason games are a waste in the NBA as well, but since people will pay to see them and watch them, there are more of them.
If more fans bought tickets to preseason WNBA games, there would be more of them -- and often, NBA teams force season ticket holders to buy preseason tickets in order to keep their season tickets.
It's not like the WNBA is doing anything wrong by not playing/showing preseason games. It's that the NBA has enough leverage to make money off them.
It's not like the WNBA is doing anything wrong by not playing/showing preseason games.
Other than alienating the fans more by not even bothering to stream them. And it’s the only time casual watchers who only follow wcbb would be able to see the newly-drafted later-round rookies that they just saw play in the Big Dance for the last time less than two months prior – before they (likely) get cut. Many only watch to follow “their girls” anyway and not the admittedly low-quality preseason action, but maybe some would keep following the team they watched or a player or two they saw, into the regular season. Who knows – cuz it hasn’t been attempted.
Another missed opportunity, is all I’m saying.
Last Edit: Dec 11, 2022 14:05:55 GMT -5 by Deleted
I understand why there's a lack of a preseason. But the league alienates almost all fans during its short preseason. I can't recall the last Liberty preseason game that was played on their home court. They had one game against China in 2019 at Barclays. Under Dolan, they would play one game at Columbia University for season ticket holders only. I did like the concept that the Sun did pre-COVID and had a mini-tournament with 3 other teams at Mohegan Sun (usually with the Liberty).
I always liked the pre-season games I could go to. I just enjoyed seeing a lot of different players, knowing full well most would probably not make the team. I also got to see games with the Chinese and Australian NT's. So to me, it was just for fun.
I'm sure members of this board would be excited about preseason games -- though let me add I am not, and have never watched one for more than a few minutes -- but the issue is the general public. Fans of "our girls" would have to work hard to find available streams, and I don't know how many would pay real cash money to see a bunch of essentially no-name players (except to us) battle it out for the last spot on the roster.
And then of course there's the fact that the stars are generally not even in town, and if they are, they very seldom play.
Post by wbbfan2020 on Dec 12, 2022 10:28:06 GMT -5
The issue with preseason games is that they are never televised or even streamed. It's not accessible to anyone unless you can get a ticket and make it there in person. Even so, some preseason games are closed off for season ticket holders only.
How hard would it be for teams to just stream the feed of a preseason game, and then post the link on their Facebook and/or Twitter page like they sometimes already do in the regular season with the actual broadcasts? It’s the preseason; it wouldn’t have to be fancy (it barely is anyway). I’d be surprised if there were legal reasons as to why teams wouldn’t be able to do that.