WNBA Free Agency 2026: Wilson, Boston Lock In Max Deals
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- Natasha Cloud signed with the Chicago Sky late into camp, capping an extremely busy Sky offseason after going unsigned deep into free agency as a three-time All-Defensive honoree.
- New York Liberty re-signed their superstar trio of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones and added All-Star forward Satou Sabally, reloading after a disappointing first-round playoff exit last season.
- Aliyah Boston signed a four-year, $6.3 million extension with the Indiana Fever through 2029, made possible by a new CBA provision (the Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract rule) that lets elite rookie-contract players sign max deals earlier.
- A'ja Wilson signed a three-year, $5 million supermax to return to the Las Vegas Aces — briefly the largest contract in WNBA history — while the reigning champs also re-signed Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Jewell Loyd.
- Napheesa Collier re-signed with the Minnesota Lynx on a one-year, $1.4 million supermax, but the Lynx lost six rotation players between the expansion draft and free agency, including co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith, who joined Dallas.
- Kelsey Plum took a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Sparks significantly below the supermax to give the team "financial flexibility," a sacrifice that enabled the Sparks to re-sign 10-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike after her two-year stint in Seattle.
- Chicago Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for two first-round picks, even as they added Azurá Stevens, DiJonai Carrington, Skylar Diggins, Rickea Jackson, and Jacy Sheldon.
Why it matters: The new CBA's structure — making every non-rookie a free agent — produced the largest WNBA free agency class in history, driving record contracts (Wilson's briefly league-largest $5M supermax, Boston's $6.3M extension) and accelerated talent reshuffling: the Lynx lost six rotation players while the Liberty and Aces consolidated around their cores, leaving Minnesota as the biggest loser of the offseason.
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