The supermax is $1.4 million this season with teams allowed to carry a cap of $7 million (compared to $1.5 million a year ago).<\/p>\n
The \u201ccore\u201d designation is like a franchise tag, giving the WNBA team exclusive negotiating rights with a player. Ten players were cored heading into this free agency period and that designation comes with a supermax offer from the team. Starting next year, players with more than seven years of service will be ineligible to be cored by a team.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at the 50 top free agents who could be making moves and waves as the 2026 season quickly approaches.<\/p>\n
1. A\u2019ja WilsonLas Vegas Aces | forward \/ center\u00a0| 6-4 | Years of service: 8<\/p>\n
Key stats: 23.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 2.3 BPG, 1.6 SPG, 51% FG<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old, four-time MVP is expected to remain in Las Vegas<\/a> alongside coach Becky Hammon as the franchise gears up for another run at a WNBA title. With Wilson as the centerpiece, Las Vegas has won three of the last four WNBA titles and with the MVP expected to re-sign \u2014 alongside a few other key players \u2014 the Aces are putting themselves in 2026 title contention yet again.<\/p>\n 2. Napheesa CollierMinnesota Lynx | forward | 6-1 |7 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 22.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 53% FG<\/p>\n Collier has spent her entire WNBA career in Minnesota and it seems unlikely that she\u2019s going to leave at this juncture. She\u2019s likely to miss some of the season as she continues to rehab from ankle surgery after the 2025 WNBA Finals, but Collier is the focal piece of Cheryl Reeve\u2019s franchise, and that\u2019s unlikely to change.<\/p>\n 3. Breanna StewartNew York Liberty | forward | 6-4 |9 YOS, 3 with NYL<\/p>\n Key stats: 18.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 46% FG<\/p>\n Stewart came to New York in 2023 and ahead of this free agency period, she said on her podcast that she plans to re-sign and won\u2019t even take visits elsewhere. That\u2019s great news for the Liberty as it begins the Chris DeMarco era with its seven-time All-Star in the fold.<\/p>\n \n Expect Jackie Young to get back to her winning ways with the Aces. (Ian Maule \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n 4. Jackie YoungLas Vegas Aces | guard \/ forward | 6-0 | 7 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 48% FG, 36% 3PT<\/p>\n Young is expected to re-sign with the Aces, the franchise with which she has spent her entire career. Under Hammon, Young has become a perennial All-Star and one of the best guards in the world. Alongside Wilson, she\u2019s another dynamic option who gives the Aces an inside lane to yet another WNBA Finals.<\/p>\n 5. Allisha GrayAtlanta Dream | guard \/ forward | 6-0\u00a0|\u00a09 YOS, 3 with ATL<\/p>\n Key stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 45% FG, 38% 3PT<\/p>\n The Dream cored Gray, making her the franchise cornerstone (alongside newly-acquired forward Angel Reese<\/a>). She\u2019s coming off a career season in which she set bests in scoring, rebounds and assists, making her an obvious choice for the Dream\u2019s building project.<\/p>\n 6. Alyssa ThomasPhoenix Mercury | guard \/ forward \/ center | 6-2 | 12 YOS, 1 with PHX<\/p>\n Key stats: 15.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 9.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 53% FG<\/p>\n The Engine thrived in Connecticut and Phoenix, but that\u2019s not going to be the case everywhere and in every system. Despite Thomas\u2019 her shooting range limitations, few players are as well-rounded in terms of abilities to fill up the floor \u2014 she was the only player last season to average eight-plus rebounds and eight-plus assists.<\/p>\n 7. Kelsey MitchellIndiana Fever | guard | 5-8 | 8 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 20.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 46% FG, 39% 3PT<\/p>\n The Fever cored Mitchell during negotiating periods, making her the veteran cornerstone among a young, talented group. She has been one of the most consistent guards over the past six seasons, but since joining forces with Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, her postseason ceiling has increased as has the Fever\u2019s winning percentage. Mitchell is the first confirmed player this offseason to sign for a supermax contract<\/a> of $1.4 million in her return to Indiana.<\/p>\n 8. Jonquel JonesNew York Liberty | center | 6-6 | 9 YOS, 3 with NYL<\/p>\n Key stats: 13.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 BPG, 49% FG, 42% 3PT<\/p>\n Jonquel Jones is 18 months removed from a finals MVP trophy, one of six active players to hold that honor. She also might have the biggest gap between floor and ceiling of any superstar in the WNBA. At her best, she can\u2019t be defended with her combination of perimeter skills and interior force. Too often last season, however, she floated between the two 3-point lines and never really asserted herself. Get Jones back into a system that accentuates her strength, and this is a max player.<\/p>\n 9. Satou SaballyPhoenix Mercury | forward | 6-4 | 6 YOS, 1 with PHX<\/p>\n Key stats: 16.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 40% FG, 32% 3PT<\/p>\n Sabally seemingly said farewell to Phoenix in an Instagram post on Wednesday. With the young star on the move, could she be headed to a reunion with her sister Nyara (who was selected by Toronto in the expansion draft)? Or could she join Sabrina Ionescu, one of her closest friends, in New York? Or somewhere else all together? Regardless, she seems like the player highest on this list who\u2019s most likely to be wearing a different jersey.<\/p>\n 10. Chelsea GrayLas Vegas Aces | guard | 5-11 | 11 YOS, 5 with LVA<\/p>\n Key stats: 11.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 44% FG, 37% 3PT<\/p>\n The Point Gawd is one of the best facilitators and clutch shooters in the game, making her a key free agency target. She has already won three titles in Las Vegas, does she plan to run it back alongside Wilson and Young for No. 4? Her relationship with Hammon appears incredibly strong so it\u2019s unlikely another franchise can come in and convince the six-time All-Star to leave the desert.<\/p>\n \n The Sparks seem to want to keep Kelsey Plum after a successful inaugural season in Los Angeles. (Harry How \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n 11. Kelsey PlumLos Angeles Sparks | guard | 5-8 | 8 YOS, 1 with LAS<\/p>\n Key stats: 19.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 42% FG, 36% 3PT<\/p>\n The Sparks cored Plum, making the four-time All-Star\u2019s Angeleno status a near definite. On a team without Wilson and Co., she notched career bests in rebounds, assists and steals and was near her best in scoring as she shouldered more of a team load. In Year 2 under coach Lynne Roberts, it\u2019ll be interesting how the franchise changes its approach as it fights to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n 12. Rhyne HowardAtlanta Dream | guard \/ forward | 6-2 |\u00a04 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 17.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 38% FG, 32% 3PT<\/p>\n One of the league\u2019s best young stars, Howard\u2019s role in Atlanta seems to be coming into focus alongside Gray and Reese. She might not be the primary threat, but she\u2019s key to the Dream\u2019s success. Last season, Atlanta won its first postseason game since 2018, and building on that success, Howard\u2019s continued growth in 2026 seems necessary as well.<\/p>\n 13. Nneka OgwumikeFrom Seattle Storm to Los Angeles Sparks\u00a0 | forward | 6-2 | 14 YOS, 2 with SEA<\/p>\n Key stats: 18.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 52% FG, 37% 3PT<\/p>\n Ogwumike is re-signing with Los Angeles<\/a> after spending the past two seasons in Seattle. She spent her first 12 years with the Sparks, experiencing six different coaches and a slew of issues that popped up because of the franchise\u2019s inconsistency at the helm. Yet, she still found success \u2014 she was named 2016 MVP during the Sparks\u2019 2016 title run. Under Lynne Roberts, and teaming up with Kelsey Plum (who the Sparks already cored), Ogwumike will look to build on the success she still had in Los Angeles while also helping to move the franchise forward.<\/p>\n 14. Kahleah CopperPhoenix Mercury | guard \/ forward | 6-1 | 10 YOS, 2 with PHX<\/p>\n Key stats: 15.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 42% FG, 38% 3PT<\/p>\n Copper played in only 28 games last season, but she\u2019s still one of the most valuable free agents on the market. She seemed happy in Phoenix, playing alongside Thomas, so perhaps the Mercury will gear up for another finals run with this core duo and a stronger cast of supporting characters (especially if they end up losing Sabally in free agency).<\/p>\n 15. Sabrina IonescuNew York Liberty | guard | 5-11 | 6 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 18.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 40% FG, 30% 3PT<\/p>\n Ionescu\u2019s 3-point shooting was a career low last season, but with Chris DeMarco taking the helm \u2014 he spent the last 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, working with Steph Curry \u2014 the Liberty seem likely to find ways to get Ionescu back to her 3-point sharpshooter days. Expect the seven-year player to re-sign with New York as the Liberty look to redeem itself after an early 2025 postseason exit.<\/p>\n 16. Ezi MagbegorSeattle Storm | forward \/ center | 6-4 |\u00a06 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 8.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 2.2 BPG, 49% FG<\/p>\n With a new-look starting lineup in 2025, Magbegor had a smaller role with Seattle, playing her fewest minutes since 2022, but the Storm believe in their 26-year-old, 6-foot-4 center, evidenced by the franchise\u2019s decision to core her ahead of free agency. Under new coach Sonia Raman, seeing how the Storm develop and use Magbegor effectively could be part of a new era for the Storm.<\/p>\n 17. Jewell LoydLas Vegas Aces | guard | 5-10 | 11 YOS, 1 with LVA<\/p>\n Key stats: 11.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 39% FG, 38% 3PT<\/p>\n After 10 seasons and two titles with Seattle, Loyd moved to Las Vegas last season and won another title, albeit this time in a new role as a sixth player. She averaged the fewest points of her career since her rookie season and the fewest minutes since 2020. This free agency seems like a moment for Loyd to decide whether she\u2019s happy with her role in Las Vegas or if she wants to find a more featured role on a different team.<\/p>\n 18. Alanna SmithMinnesota Lynx | forward \/ center | 6-4 | 7 YOS, 2 with MIN<\/p>\n Key stats: 9.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.9 BPG, 49% FG, 33% 3PT<\/p>\n Smith, who spent the past two seasons with the Lynx, told an Australian media outlet that she was \u201copen to any opportunity\u201d and was at a point in her career where she has \u201cthe luxury of choice.\u201d Could that mean the defensive juggernaut who earned co-defensive player of the year honors last season could be on the move? Or will she be returning to Minnesota?<\/p>\n \n Veronica Burton has refreshed her career in Golden State. (Ezra Shaw \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n 19. Veronica BurtonGolden State Valkyries | guard| 5-9 | 4 YOS, 1 with GSV<\/p>\n Key stats: 11.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 39% FG, 35% 3PT<\/p>\n After bouncing around for three seasons, Burton found a home and foundation with the Valkyries, where she thrived. The guard had significant career-bests in every category and was named the league\u2019s most improved player in 2025. It\u2019s hard to imagine her leaving the Bay Area, but given how much her stock has risen over the past year, she\u2019ll also be seen as a valuable free agent on the market this year.<\/p>\n 20. Dearica HambyLos Angeles Sparks | forward| 6-3 | 11 YOS, 3 with LAS<\/p>\n Key stats: 18.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, 57% FG<\/p>\n Hamby is coming off her best shooting season in her 11-year career, with career-highs in scoring and field goal percentage. All signs have pointed and continue to point to her returning to Los Angeles to keep playing alongside Plum. The duo has created a strong one-two punch for the L.A. franchise, which looks to return to the playoffs.<\/p>\n 21. Arike OgunbowaleDallas Wings | guard | 5-8 | 7 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 36% FG, 30% 3PT<\/p>\n After being cored by Dallas, Ogunbowale will reportedly sign with the Wings for less than the supermax in order to allow the franchise to build around her. This gives first-year coach Jose Fernandez plenty of playmaking options as he works to figure out an equation that maximizes Ogunbowale, second-year star Paige Bueckers and the incoming No. 1 draft pick.<\/p>\n 22. Bri JonesAtlanta Dream | forward \/ center | 6-3 | 9 YOS, 1 with ATL<\/p>\n Key stats: 12.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 53% FG<\/p>\n Jones suffered a meniscus tear while playing overseas in February, but she is expected to be available this season and all signs point to her re-signing with the Dream. The four-time All-Star had a nice first year in Atlanta, and with the addition of Angel Reese, this rotation is only going to get more versatile.<\/p>\n 23. Shakira AustinWashington Mystics | center | 6-5 | 4 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 12.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 47% FG<\/p>\n The Mystics have the No. 4, No. 9 and No. 11 picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Previous GM Jamila Wideman had been heavily invested in developing the youth movement of this franchise, but with her firing, could the Mystics be headed in a separate direction? Austin\u2019s future with Washington probably exists somewhere in the answer to that question. Her performance has see-sawed as she has dealt with injuries during her first four years in the league, but she\u2019s seen as a player with a lot of potential if put in the right situation and if she can stay healthy.<\/p>\n 24. Kayla McBrideMinnesota Lynx | guard |5-11 | 12 YOS, 5 with MIN<\/p>\n Key stats: 14.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 42% FG, 40% 3PT<\/p>\n The unsung hero of Minnesota\u2019s rise into the league\u2019s elite. McBride is a knockdown shooter, even a decade-plus into the league, and she has a useful little floater when she is chased off the line. No one runs around and through more screens than McBride does, as the Lynx leverage her shooting as a movement shooter on offense, and she routinely takes on the toughest guard assignment defensively. The main knock on McBride is her age, but over the next two seasons, it wouldn\u2019t be unreasonable to expect All-Star production.<\/p>\n 25. Gabby WilliamsSeattle Storm | forward | 5-11 | 7 YOS, 4 with SEA<\/p>\n Key stats: 11.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.3 SPG, 42% FG<\/p>\n Williams led the league in steals last season and her 2.3-steals-per-game average last season is the best of any player over the last five seasons (playing the most games). In addition to a career best in steals, she also notched career bests in points, assists and blocks. Her versatility and motor make her a high target in this year\u2019s free agency.<\/p>\n \n At 36, Skylar Diggins is still considered one of the league\u2019s most elite point guards. (Ryan Sirius Sun \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n 26. Skylar DigginsSeattle Storm | guard | 5-9 | 11 YOS, 2 with SEA<\/p>\n Key stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 42% FG, 37% 3PT<\/p>\n Heading into her 12th season, Diggins is still considered one of the elite point guards in the league, possessing the ability to both distribute and score herself. Last season, just three players in the league averaged at least 15 points and six assists per game \u2014 Diggins, Caitlin Clark and Alyssa Thomas. With what appears to be a bit of an exodus from Seattle, could Diggins also be on the move?<\/p>\n 27. Brittney SykesSeattle Storm | guard | 5-9 | 9 YOS, 1 with SEA<\/p>\n Key stats: 14.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 38% FG<\/p>\n Sykes made the All-Star for the first time in her ninth season, proving her value as a high-volume shot-creator. She has one of the prettiest pull-up jumpers in the league and gets great elevation. Efficiency has been a struggle for Sykes (though she hit a high percentage of her 2s and 3s at Unrivaled), but her defensive impact is unquestioned. She is best at the point of attack getting into opposing point guards, and she can also get into passing lanes thanks to long arms and anticipation. At 32, Sykes\u2019 athleticism hasn\u2019t yet waned.<\/p>\n 28. Courtney WilliamsMinnesota Lynx | guard | 5-8 | 10 YOS, 2 with MIN<\/p>\n Key stats: 13.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 43% FG, 39% 3PT<\/p>\n After playing for four different teams (in five different stretches) during her first seven seasons, Williams has really settled into the Lynx well over the past two seasons, becoming an instrumental part of the team\u2019s success and deep postseason play. Williams finished last season third in assists per game and her assist-to-turnover ratio put her at No. 6 among players recording at least five assists per game.<\/p>\n \n Will a fresh start in Toronto be exactly what Marina Mabrey needs to get back to form? ( Andrew J. Clark \/ ISI Photos via Getty Images)<\/p>\n 29. Marina MabreyToronto Tempo | guard \/ forward | 5-11 | 7 YOS, 2 with CON<\/p>\n Key stats: 14.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.0 APG<\/p>\n Toronto selected Mabrey with its third pick in the expansion draft, making her the team\u2019s core player. Though her 3-point shooting percentage last season was the worst of her career, her performance in Unrivaled (where she shot 33 percent from beyond the arc), should give the Tempo some optimism. Partnering her alongside more veteran guard play should improve that.<\/p>\n 30. Ariel AtkinsChicago Sky | guard | 5-10 |8 YOS, 1 with CHI<\/p>\n Key stats: 13.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 44% FG, 36% 3PT\u2019<\/p>\n Chicago was a colossal disappointment in 2025, but Atkins\u2019 production was about as expected. She\u2019s a solid guard defender who converts 3-pointers at an above-average rate and provides some secondary playmaking. Her All-Star days from 2021 and 2022 are firmly in the rear view. Atkins\u2019 value comes in her defensive effort, because there aren\u2019t too many 3-and-D players at the shooting guard position.<\/p>\n 31. Azur\u00e1 StevensLos Angeles Sparks | forward | 6-6 | 8 YOS, 3 with LAS<\/p>\n Key stats:\u00a0 12.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 48% FG, 38% 3PT<\/p>\n Stevens announced her departure from Los Angeles on Instagram after three seasons, boxed out by the re-acquisition of Nneka Ogwumike. Stevens is a skilled offensive big, almost functioning more as a wing, who is a legitimate threat from beyond the arc. She needs a defensive five to pair with in the frontcourt, but she\u2019s a decent help defender and can switch so long as she isn\u2019t the primary rim protector.<\/p>\n 32. Naz HillmonAtlanta Dream | forward | 6-2 | 4 YOS<\/p>\n Key stats: 8.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 46% FG, 32% 3PT<\/p>\n Hillmon had one of the more shocking player development arcs in 2025, evolving from a complete non-shooter (six total 3-point attempts in her first three seasons) to a reliable floor spacer who still maintained her presence on the glass and in the paint. She is a little undersized at the four but has the motor to mostly make up for it. Her future in Atlanta is clouded by the arrival of Angel Reese, even if she seemed like Karl Smesko\u2019s favorite player in his first WNBA season.<\/p>\n 33. Kayla ThorntonGolden State Valkyries | forward | 6-1 | 10 YOS, 1 with GSV<\/p>\n Key stats: 14.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 36% FG<\/p>\n Thornton was one of the success stories of the expansion draft, a player who got an expanded role and filled it. She is back from a knee injury that ended her season and was a full participant at USA Basketball camp in Phoenix earlier this month. She is a relentless defender who raises her team\u2019s energy. However, her shooting efficiency on larger volume was a little concerning. Thornton will need to find a better shot diet in 2026, or her new team will have to scale back her role.<\/p>\n 34. Emma MeessemanNew York Liberty | forward |\u00a0 6-4 | 9 YOS, 1 year with NYL<\/p>\n Key stats: 13.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 57% FG<\/p>\n Meesseman\u2019s interest in playing in the WNBA is always in question. If she does, her team should try to get her for a full season, because she didn\u2019t seem very comfortable joining the Liberty halfway through the season, even with familiar teammates. Based on her performances with Belgium, Meesseman can still be an excellent offensive player and an important part of a good team defense. She\u2019s a wonderful passer and has good scoring touch. The FIBA version of her just needs to make its way stateside.<\/p>\n 35. Bridget CarletonPortland Fire | guard \/ forward | 6-2 | 7 YOS, 7 with MIN<\/p>\n Key stats: 6.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.0 APG 37.3% 3PT<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2242094228-scaled-e1775881972936.jpg\")
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