2. New York Liberty
The Liberty lost one Sabally, but gained another in the offseason. After Nyara Sabally was selected by the Toronto Tempo in the expansion draft, New York landed her older sister Satou Sabally, one of the biggest names available in free agency. Satou Sabally will team up with the Liberty’s trio of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, who limped to the finish line last season due to injuries. Stewart, Ionescu, Jones and Sabally have a combined 19 WNBA All-Star nods. And it shouldn’t take long for Sabally to gel with her new teammates, as she played with Ionescu in Oregon. It remains to be seen if the Liberty re-sign Natasha Cloud, but first-year head coach Chris DeMarco will have plenty with which to work.
3. Atlanta Dream
The Dream kept their core players in free agency bringing back four starters (Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Bri Jones and Jordin Canada) and the 2025 Sixth Player of the Year (Naz Hillmon) as it pursues the franchise’s first championship. The Dream had franchise-best 30 wins and No. 3 seed in the playoffs last season and hope to build on that success. The Dream did lose veteran center Brittney Griner in free agency, but acquired Angel Reese, one of the WNBA’s best players (and rebounders), via trade. Adding Reese to the roster boosts Atlanta’s offensive profile and adds a strong defender to the Dream’s stacked roster. If Atlanta can get over the playoff hump, it has a great chance to make it to the WNBA Finals.