ESPN Insider Expects This WNBA Team to 'Take Big Swings' in Free Agency
This upcoming WNBA free agency period is extremely compelling for several reasons.
One of the main ones is that there are plenty of superstars available. And because most of these players will almost certainly be looking to sign one-year deals in advance of the current CBA expiring (so they'll be in a position to earn much higher salaries when the next CBA is instituted), it will be fascinating to see where players land.
In addition, this free agency period has an added wrinkle because of the Golden State Valkyries, who are the WNBA's newest team and constructed their roster via the Expansion Draft last month.
However, the Valkyries are also able to be active in free agency. And ESPN WNBA insider Alexa Philippou expects to see Golden State make major moves as soon as they're able to do so, which she conveyed in a January 7 article.
"But don't be surprised if Golden State takes big swings in free agency this month," Philippou wrote.
"Owner Joe Lacob has adopted the same goal with the Valkyries that he did from when he first bought the [Golden State] Warriors: win a championship within five years. To do so, the organization must attract top talent, and ownership investment has been evident with the Valkyries playing at Chase Center and training at the Warriors' former practice facility in Oakland."
It's a pivotal year in women's pro basketball. This month, there's WNBA free agency, potentially some big trades and Unrivaled's inaugural season. Then there's a new WNBA playoff format, expansion, seven new coaches on the way and possibly a new CBA. https://t.co/qIKZiazNER
— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) January 7, 2025
There's no question that the Valkyries will need to add at least one superstar if they're to be competitive this season. Luckily, they seem well-suited to bring top-tier talent to the Bay Area.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.