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The Golden State Valkyries’ 2026 schedule is out, but unresolved negotiations around collective bargaining have created uncertainty over what Year 2 will look like for Natalie Nakase’s team.
Nakase and GM Ohemaa Nyanin can’t begin the process of shaping the team’s roster, pursuing free agents, and protecting players from an upcoming expansion draft until a collective bargaining agreement is in place.
The CBA expired Jan. 9 following multiple extensions, but there’s a moratorium on free agency until the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association reach an agreement. Negotiations have stalled largely over disagreements on revenue sharing.
In the absence of a CBA, Valkyries fans have been left wondering about the makeup of the roster, which could change significantly as the franchise is expected to aggressively pursue top free agents. They’ve also been unable to purchase tickets for the team’s second season at Chase Center, but that’s about to change now that the schedule is out.
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Tuesday, Jan. 13
Assuming the WNBA and WNBPA agree to a new CBA, the Valkyries will play 44 games (opens in new tab), including 22 at home. The team will open the season May 8 in Seattle against the Storm before returning to San Francisco for a home opener May 10 against the Phoenix Mercury.
The WNBA has scheduled a 17-day break in September so players can participate in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Golden State’s longest homestand of the season is four games May 25 to June 2. The team has two five-game roadtrips — July 4 to July 15 and Aug. 21 to 30 — which means it will host just seven games over the 82-day stretch between June 28 and Sept. 18.
Training camp will begin April 19, six days after the college draft is scheduled. The Valkyries hold the eighth overall pick in the three-round draft.
In Golden State’s inaugural season, neither of its top two selections appeared for the team. First-rounder Justė Jocytė, 20, opted to remain in Europe and play for the Lithuanian national team at EuroBasket 2025, but she is expected to play for Golden State this year.
Second-round pick Shyanne Sellers was cut during training camp, while third-rounder Kaitlyn Chen was waived before the season but signed a new contract with the team in June and provided depth at point guard.
While Nakase and Nyanin will have much to sort out once a CBA is in place, there are early indications of what the Valkyries’ roster will look like.
The WNBA’s Most Improved Player, Veronica Burton, is a restricted free agent, meaning Golden State can match any offer she receives. Given her importance amid a remarkable playoff push last season, Burton isn’t going anywhere.
All-Star Kayla Thornton, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in July, is technically set to become a free agent, but the Valkyries featured the fan favorite in the video announcing the schedule. That’s not a move the franchise would make if it plans to see Thornton sign elsewhere.
Considering that the WNBA still needs to set guidelines and hold an expansion draft to fill the rosters of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, it’s unclear how many players Golden State will be able to protect. That leaves the fate of other rotation players — such as Carla Leite, Kate Martin, and Cecilia Zandalasini — uncertain.