WNBA Free Agency 2024: Superstars Hit the Market, League Braces for Major Shift
Explore the upcoming WNBA free agency with top players like Stewart, Jones, and Delle Donne. Key dates, rules, and potential game-changing moves revealed.
The WNBA offseason is gearing up, and free agency is set to kick off later this month. Teams can begin discussions with players on Jan. 21, but official deals can’t be signed until Feb. 1. Leading up to that, there’s sure to be a lot of interesting speculation.
In the past, free agency wasn’t a big deal in the league. Key players seldom became free agents due to long contracts and restrictions on core designations. However, everything changed with the new collective bargaining agreement in 2020. Now, free agency plays a crucial role in the league’s calendar, just like any other sports league.
This year is no exception, as several superstars, including five former MVPs (Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Elena Delle Donne, Nneka Ogwumike, and Candace Parker), are set to enter the market. Not to mention other notable players like Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner, and Satou Sabally.
In one way or another, the league is poised for a shift this winter. Before all the action unfolds, here’s everything you need to know.
When does WNBA free agency begin?
Free agency conversations can start on Jan. 21, but official signings are not permitted until Feb. 1. While some teams may attempt to bend these rules, those caught violating them will face penalties according to the league’s tampering regulations. An example is the Seattle Storm, who were fined in 2022 for prematurely announcing Sue Bird’s re-signing.
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How does WNBA free agency operate?
WNBA free agency closely mirrors the NBA process. During a moratorium period, teams can communicate with players, but formal signings are not allowed. Free agents fall into two main categories: unrestricted, giving them the freedom to talk to and sign with any team, and restricted, allowing their current team to match offers from other teams.
Additionally, there’s a reserved category for players with less than three years of service entering free agency. Typically, these are veterans who joined the league later in their careers, but it can also include younger players not on a standard rookie-scale contract. The team they played for previously holds exclusive negotiation rights with these players.
Additionally, in rare cases, players’ contracts may expire during a suspension. In such instances, players are technically considered to be “withholding service,” as per the CBA, and are categorized as “suspended — contract expired.” These players are, in practice, treated similarly to reserved players, although the prior team isn’t obligated to offer a qualifying offer.
Lastly, there’s the core designation, comparable to the NFL’s franchise tag. When a team applies the core designation to a player, they gain exclusive negotiating rights, even if the player was initially slated to become an unrestricted free agent. Teams must use this designation judiciously, as each player is limited to being “cored” twice in their career, effective from 2024 onward.
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2024 WNBA free agents
Cored
| PLAYER | PRIOR TEAM | NEW TEAM | POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breanna Stewart | New York Liberty | F | Cored |
Unrestricted
| PLAYER | PRIOR TEAM | NEW TEAM | POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natalie Achonwa | Minnesota Lynx | C | Unsigned | |
| Lindsay Allen | Minnesota Lynx | G | Unsigned | |
| Rebecca Allen | Connecticut Sun | F | Unsigned | |
| Kristine Anigwe | Connecticut Sun | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Rachel Banham | Minnesota Lynx | G | Unsigned | |
| Monique Billings | Atlanta Dream | F | Unsigned | |
| DeWanna Bonner | Connecticut Sun | F | Unsigned | |
| Kalani Brown | Dallas Wings | C | Unsigned | |
| Rae Burrell | Los Angeles Sparks | G/F | Unsigned | |
| Jordin Canada | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Emma Cannon | Indiana Fever | F | Unsigned | |
| Bridget Carleton | Minnesota Lynx | F | Unsigned | |
| Chennedy Carter | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Kaila Charles | Seattle Storm | G/F | Unsigned | |
| Layshia Clarendon | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Natasha Cloud | Washington Mystics | G | Unsigned | |
| Alaina Coates | Las Vegas Aces | C | Unsigned | |
| Nia Coffey | Atlanta Dream | F | Unsigned | |
| Sydney Colson | Las Vegas Aces | G | Unsigned | |
| Lauren Cox | Connecticut Sun | C | Unsigned | |
| Lorela Cubaj | Atlanta Dream | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Elena Delle Donne | Washington Mystics | F | Unsigned | |
| Diamond DeShields | Phoenix Mercury | G/F | Unsigned | |
| Jasmine Dickey | Dallas Wings | G | Unsigned | |
| Skylar Diggins-Smith | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned | |
| Liz Dixon | Phoenix Mercury | F | Unsigned | |
| Ivana Dojkic | Seattle Storm | G | Unsigned | |
| Stefanie Dolson | New York Liberty | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Emily Engstler | Minnesota Lynx | F | Unsigned | |
| Cyesha Goree | Washington Mystics | F | Unsigned | |
| Brittney Griner | Phoenix Mercury | C | Unsigned | |
| Arella Guirantes | Seattle Storm | G | Unsigned | |
| Megan Gustafson | Phoenix Mercury | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Linnae Harper | Washington Mystics | G | Unsigned | |
| Tiana Hawkins | Washington Mystics | C | Unsigned | |
| Tiffany Hayes | Connecticut Sun | N/A | G | Retired |
| Destanni Henderson | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned | |
| Khaalia Hillsman | Chicago Sky | C | Unsigned | |
| Ashley Joens | Phoenix Mercury | F | Unsigned | |
| Brionna Jones | Connecticut Sun | C | Unsigned | |
| Jonquel Jones | New York Liberty | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Jantel Lavender | Seattle Storm | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Rui Machida | Washington Mystics | G | Unsigned | |
| Abby Meyers | Washington Mystics | G | Unsigned | |
| Taylor Mikesell | Atlanta Dream | G | Unsigned | |
| Chiney Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Nneka Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks | F | Unsigned | |
| Candace Parker | Las Vegas Aces | F | Unsigned | |
| Shey Peddy | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned | |
| Theresa Plaisance | Seattle Storm | C | Unsigned | |
| Aerial Powers | Minnesota Lynx | G/F | Unsigned | |
| Epiphanny Prince | New York Liberty | G | Unsigned | |
| Danielle Robinson | Atlanta Dream | G | Unsigned | |
| Karlie Samuelson | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Katie Lou Samuelson | Los Angeles Sparks | F | Unsigned | |
| Jennie Simms | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned | |
| Odyssey Sims | Dallas Wings | G | Unsigned | |
| Alanna Smith | Chicago Sky | F | Unsigned | |
| Taylor Soule | Chicago Sky | F | Unsigned | |
| Kiah Stokes | Las Vegas Aces | C | Unsigned | |
| Jasmine Thomas | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Sam Thomas | Phoenix Mercury | G/F | Unsigned | |
| Kristi Toliver | Washington Mystics | N/A | G | Retired |
| Kayana Traylor | Minnesota Lynx | G | Unsigned | |
| Evina Westbrook | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Christyn Williams | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned | |
| Courtney Williams | Chicago Sky | G | Unsigned | |
| Gabby Williams | Seattle Storm | F | Unsigned | |
| Madi Williams | Seattle Storm | G/F | Unsigned | |
| Riquna Williams | Las Vegas Aces | G | Unsigned | |
| Amanda Zahui B. | Los Angeles Sparks | C | Unsigned |
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Restricted
| PLAYER | PRIOR TEAM | CURRENT TEAM | POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD Durr | Atlanta Dream | G | Unsigned | |
| Cayla George | Las Vegas Aces | C | Unsigned | |
| Ruthy Hebard | Chicago Sky | F/C | Unsigned | |
| Joyner Holmes | Seattle Storm | C | Unsigned | |
| Satou Sabally | Dallas Wings | F | Qualifying offer extended | |
| Yvonne Turner | Seattle Storm | G | Unsigned | |
| Jocelyn Willoughby | New York Liberty | G/F | Unsigned |
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Reserved
| PLAYER | PRIOR TEAM | CURRENT TEAM | POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Bertsch | Chicago Sky | F | Unsigned | |
| Maya Caldwell | Indiana Fever | G | Qualifying offer extended | |
| Temi Fagbenle | Indiana Fever | C | Qualifying offer extended | |
| Rebekah Gardner | Chicago Sky | G | Unsigned | |
| Bernadett Hatar | Connecticut Sun | C | Unsigned | |
| Marine Johannes | New York Liberty | G | Qualifying offer extended | |
| Li Meng | Washington Mystics | G | Qualifying offer extended | |
| Nikolina Milic | Minnesota Lynx | F | Unsigned | |
| Robyn Parks | Chicago Sky | F | Unsigned | |
| Kianna Smith | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Unsigned | |
| Sug Sutton | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned |
Suspended — Contract Expired
| PLAYER | PRIOR TEAM | CURRENT TEAM | POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Allemand | Chicago Sky | G | Unsigned | |
| Han Xu | New York Liberty | C | Unsigned | |
| Astou Ndour-Fall | Chicago Sky | F/C | Unsigned |