OThe most dynamic periods of the WNBA’s off -season touch its end while free agents report contrasts with their teams in early February. This year was particularly exciting because a huge harvest of league stars – notably Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Jewell Loyd, Brittney Griner and more – were able to test the waters of the Free Agency, some for the first time.
As with any growth and upheaval period, women’s basketball is in the middle of a really critical moment. The television notes are increasing, attendance is increasing; Registration is taking an impressive audience every week in Miami, and Pro Basketball is launching its last season in Nashville this month.
In addition to that, some teams are able to offer athletes more than others. In 2025, it seems that the player accent on obtaining what they deserve – and it was for a long time to come.
Here are five of the biggest upheavals that came out of the free agency window:
1) Kelsey Plum in Sparks and Jewell Loyd in AS
The Sparks of Los Angeles, Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm are concluded in a three -way agreement which could ultimately see the storm coming out (according to the team that the choice of the 2025 recovery that it receives). Plum will leave the aces for the Sparks, Loyd will leave the storm for the aces, while the storm will hang on the second choice of global draft (which could end up being Olivia Miles de Notre Dame), Li Yueru and a first round in 2026 .
Sparks will also receive the overall choice n ° 9 this year and a second round choice in 2026 in the storm. In addition to Loyd, the ACEs obtain the choice n ° 13 in the 2025 draft.
The addition of Plum to the Sparks is a massive victory for the team, which will also welcome Back Cameron Brink after an ACL tear at the start of the 2024 season. The rear area of the Sparks was lamentable last season, and Plum will inject from The essential energy and the higher defense which could even put the team in the title.
Loyd is a power shooter when she has been on fire, but in recent seasons, she has had trouble efficiency. However, it is clear that she has a lot to give, and playing alongside A’ja Wilson could be the boost she needs.
If someone wins this job, it’s the storm, especially if he brings miles this year. The team already has a healthy harvest of young talents and miles will integrate perfectly. It is difficult to imagine other commercial scenarios that would have given the team a chance to write a player who leads the ground so effectively – something that the storm definitely needs.
Grade for sparks B
Grade for AS B-minus
Grade for the storm A
2) Brittney Griner Exchange Phoenix for Atlanta
A big surprise that came out of the free agency is Griner – who has played with the Phoenix Mercury since it was drafted by the team with the first global choice in 2013 and which previously seemed unlikely to move away – Deciding to join the dream. Playing in an unequaled changed the prospect of Griner, as the 6-inch 9-inch center for journalists in Miami, and finally decided to exchange southwest for the Southeast.
Griner will give the dream the defensive anchor he is missing and should help to propel the team above from the 15-25 record last year. It will probably replace Tina Charles as a departure center and offer leadership of veterans to young people like Rhyne Howard, a former overall choice n ° 1. Overall, it is a good deal that will help the mercury to release the Ceiling space for Satou Sabally while helping the dream to build its defensive prowess.
Grade for dreams B
3) Satou Sabally in Mercury and Nalyssa Smith on the wings
An absolutely massive trade between Mercury, Dallas wings and Indiana fever was apparently removed without a hitch. The Wings will send Sabally, who revealed that she had already played her last match with the team halfway from the free agency discussion at Mercury. Smith will leave Indiana fever for wings, and fever will add Sophie Cunningham to her own list.
The Wings have also won the Ty Harris playmaker, the rights reserved for Kiki Herbert Harrigan and the n ° 8 choice of this year. In addition to Cunningham, the fever won Kalani Brown, the choice n ° 19 of this year’s project while reserving the rights to Sevgi Uzun.
In addition to that, the Wings have also added Dijonai Carrington from the sun, the choice of global draft n ° 12 this year and the right to exchange the choices with the sun during the draft of next year.
The mercury came out in the lead with this agreement. Sabally was the most wanted free agent this year, and she had previously clearly indicated that she wanted to join a team with high -level facilities. But with this specific trade, everyone is a winner: each team has received players they need and key recovery choices.
Grade for wings A
Grade for mercury A-Plus
Fever B
4) Alyssa Thomas joins Mercury
Thomas, an 11-year-old veterinarian from Connecticut Sun, jumped the northeast team ship and will play for the Mercury this year (and we think that Phoenix will do his best to also land the fiancée de Thomas, Dewanna Bonner , sun). In exchange, Natasha Cloud and Rebecca Allen will join the Sun, who will also obtain the choice of draft No. 12 of this year.
This decision is powerful for Mercury, which needs Thomas’ defensive skills. It also seems to indicate that the head coach Nate Tibbets puts energy and efforts to constitute a team of his own design, and that of which Thomas will be a key element of.
With the loss of Carrington and Thomas, the sun has officially lost all its starting program (as well as the former head coach Stephanie White, who went to fever last year) before this year’s draft. This is an interesting moment for the team, which reached the playoffs in 2024, and their reconstruction is worth watching. Cloud finished third in the league for assists per game last year (Thomas was second), which gives the impression that this is an equal job.
Grade for mercury A
Grade for the sun B
5) Natasha Howard returns to fever
The free agency has also caused the return of Natasha Howard to a fever, which fans of the Caitlin Clark team should be quite excited. The triple champion was drafted by fever as the fifth choice in total in 2014.
Howard will certainly give a veteran boost to the younger list of the team, including Clark and Aliyah Boston. She spent two seasons with White fever before moving to the Lynx of Minnesota, Storm, New York Liberty and Wings, and she seems happy to return to her original basketball house. The fever will also benefit from its defensive presence – and its championship pedigree.
Fever A
