Are Valkyries' offseason plans falling apart as WNBA free-agent signing window opens?
WNBA free-agent signing announcements will start to roll in on Saturday, but it’s unclear whether the Golden State Valkyries will make many moves to shore up their inaugural roster.
Many of the biggest names available have already been claimed, including some players the Valkyries were interested in. Kelsey Plum, the biggest star the Valkyries were connected to, was instead traded by the Las Vegas Aces to the Los Angeles Sparks. Natasha Howard will leave the Dallas Wings to sign with the Indiana Fever, Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones will be in Atlanta and Alyssa Thomas was traded by Connecticut to Phoenix, in other moves made this week. Satou Sabally also came off the board on Friday after she was traded from Dallas to Phoenix in a three-team trade.
Who does that leave for Golden State? There are a few free-agent options, but general manager Ohemaa Nyanin may have to get creative to build a competitive team in 2025. Many in the league thought the Valkyries would take some big swings this offseason, but there aren’t many left. Nyanin said recently that “all swings” are on the table, but so far, there have only been swings and misses.
The Valkyries’ three top targets were Plum, Jones and Courtney Vandersloot, per a league source. All three opted to go elsewhere. That has led to some adjustments for the Valkyries.
The expansion team’s lack of a track record is making players more hesitant than expected, even with the Valkyries’ elite facilities, their push to sell themselves as competitive — wanting to win a championship in five years — and their ability to offer growth opportunities for players. There are also high expectations of a monster 2026 offseason for top-tier free agents with a new collective bargaining agreement overshadowing this winter’s transactions. Having the No. 5 overall pick in the draft as their top asset to trade has also led to frustration since it carries less value than lottery picks, which has stalled some trade discussions.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/valkyries-offseason-plans-wrecked-wnba-20074328.php