On Friday, in a winner-take-all Game 3, No. 7 seed Dallas fell to No. 2 Golden State as the Valkyries advance to the semifinals for the first time.
Thursday, the No. 6 Indiana Fever lost to the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces, ending their 2026 season. Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 36 points, but A'ja Wilson's Aces moved on in the postseason for the second year in a row.
For the Wings and every other team eliminated this postseason, we're breaking down potential moves for each WNBA franchise, including a look at the state of each roster, team needs and priorities for each front office this coming offseason.
Earlier, the first team eliminated from the 2026 WNBA playoffs was a shocking one: the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx, who were swept by the No. 8 New York Liberty in two blowout losses. On Wednesday, the No. 5 Washington Mystics were the second team eliminated following a sweep by the No. 4 Atlanta Dream.
Movement during WNBA free agency in 2027 could be more active than ever given the short turnaround between the new collective bargaining agreement and the start of 2026 training camps.
The draft lottery, typically held in November or December, will determine which team will get the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft. After three expansion teams joined the WNBA the past two seasons, the league will stick with 15 teams for 2027, but the Connecticut Sun will relocate to Houston.
Eliminated in the first round of the WNBA playoffs
Dallas Wings
2026 regular season: 27-17; No. 7 seed
Postseason results: Lost 2-1 to No. 2 seed Golden State in the first round
Free agents: Odyssey Sims (unrestricted), Alysha Clark (unrestricted), Awak Kuier (restricted), Maddy Siegrist (restricted), Li Yueru (restricted), Haley Jones (restricted)
2027 draft capital: Own first-, second-, third-round picks
Season recap: In Jose Fernandez's first season at the helm, the team finished 27-17. Coming off 2025's 10-win campaign, it marked the fourth-largest win percentage increase from one season to the next in WNBA history. In her second year, Paige Bueckers cemented herself as one of the best players in the league, while Jessica Shepard, the newly crowned 2026 Most Improved Player, proved to be one of the most impactful free agent signings across the league. No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd had a strong start to her pro career before undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on her right knee that cut her season short, while Alanna Smith never found her footing in her first season in Dallas, dealing with various injuries and last appearing on Aug. 30.
State of the roster: The bulk of Dallas' main contributors -- Bueckers, Shepard, Fudd, Smith, Arike Ogunbowale and Aziaha James -- are set to return, with Bueckers, Fudd and James under team control for multiple years (and Smith through 2028). Ogunbowale, Smith and Shepard will take up a large chunk of the salary cap, with each earning north of $1 million. The biggest free agents will be Kuier, who shined in her first WNBA season since 2023 despite averaging only 18.6 minutes per game, and Siegrist, who saw a reduced role this season.
Top front office priority: Adding wing depth and shoring up defensively. Can that come from a healthy and more confident Smith, or does general manager Curt Miller need to make additional moves to improve the defense? The unit, porous for much of the season, showed its issues during the playoffs when the Valkyries scored a franchise-record 104 points in Game 1.
Losing Fudd for the year hurt the team's ability to stretch the floor, but even with her return, the Wings could seek to add more shooters in the draft or in free agency. They attempted just 23.8 3-pointers per game this year and averaged 8.3 makes, both among the league's worst marks.
The Wings might also look to sign Bueckers to an "EPIC" rookie-scale extension -- she's technically eligible to agree to one after her second year and as a previous all-WNBA pick -- though it might benefit Bueckers to maintain maximum flexibility.
Biggest offseason question: How can Miller position this team to take the next step? Does that entail tinkering or major changes (perhaps via trade)? Year 1 under Fernandez was a success; Dallas returned to relevance and to the postseason following a two-year hiatus. The way the Wings bounced back from a rough Game 1 performance to take Game 2 and make things interesting in Game 3 was a pretty positive outcome for a 7-seed not at full strength.
The Wings are young, but Miller knows that contention windows don't last forever. Dallas was excellent at beating the teams it was supposed to -- going 20-2 against sub-.500 teams -- but despite big wins against the likes of the Liberty and the Aces, the Wings were just 7-15 against playoff teams. That will have to change to compete for a championship. -- Alexa Philippou
Indiana Fever
2026 season: 28-16; No. 6 seed
Postseason result: Lost in three games to No. 3 seed Las Vegas
Free agents: Kelsey Mitchell (unrestricted), Sophie Cunningham (unrestricted), Tyasha Harris (unrestricted), Myisha Hines-Allen (unrestricted), Grace VanSlooten (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own first-, second-, third-round picks
Season recap: In every season that Caitlin Clark, Mitchell and Aliyah Boston are on the roster, the Fever have championship expectations. Anything short of that is a disappointment. The drama -- primarily coming from the outside -- that seemed to follow the team all summer was, at best, annoying. At worst, it was a distraction, with coaches and players regularly addressing rumors and criticisms. A stuttering end to the regular season that saw the Fever fall to the No. 6 seed for the third consecutive season -- and set them up to face Las Vegas in the first round -- was a tough way to go into the playoffs.
The bottom line: The Fever were the best offensive team in the league but couldn't match that production on the defensive end. At some point, a team must be able to consistently get stops if it wants to be the last team standing. Instead, their season ends at the hands of the Aces for the second year in a row.
State of the roster: The Fever were the most potent offense in the league throughout the regular season: Mitchell (24.7), Clark (22.3) and Boston (16.1) became one of only two trios to all rank in the top 18 in scoring average. Mitchell scored the most points in a single season in league history and finished No. 2 in points per game, as Clark was No. 3. Boston might be as steadily consistent as anyone in the league, and she added a 3-point shot in 2026 that had to be respected.
But for as much as they turned every game into an offensive highlight reel, there wasn't enough consistent help from the rest of the roster. Cunningham was a knock-down shooter for the first three months of the season, but that plummeted in July and August. Lexie Hull started 41 games but had her lowest-scoring average since 2023. Monique Billings was signed to be a starter alongside Boston but struggled and lost the job to Makayla Timpson, who made significant strides in her second season. First-round rookie Raven Johnson started coming into her own late in the season and looks to have a bright future.
Top front office priority: Retaining Mitchell. The 2018 No. 2 draft pick just set the league single-season record for the most points scored (1,086) and the most 3-point field goals made (135). She and Clark became the most lethal offensive backcourt in the league, and Clark finished No. 2 in assists. The duo and Boston form the type of trio that championships are won with. Las Vegas -- with Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and A'ja Wilson -- are a perfect example. Losing Mitchell would mean beginning a new search for that third superstar, and who knows how the chemistry with that newcomer would play out? This season proved that Clark and Mitchell can thrive alongside each other. Additionally, Mitchell is a low-maintenance star who isn't affected by all of the attention -- both good and bad -- that comes with being in Clark's orbit.
Biggest offseason question: Can the Fever figure out a way to get stops? Indiana could simply outscore most teams and no deficit seemed too great. But the Fever ranked No. 11 in points allowed and No. 8 in defensive rating. Timpson is one of the most athletic forwards in the league and will continue to develop, but she and Boston could use a little more help in the post. A 3-and-D skill set on the perimeter would help take some defensive pressure off Clark and Mitchell and help spread the court to make those two even more dangerous on the offensive end. -- Kareem Copeland
Washington Mystics
2026 regular season: 28-16; No. 5 seed
Postseason results: Swept by No. 4 seed Atlanta in the first round
Free agents: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (unrestricted)
2027 draft capital: Own first-round pick (can swap with Chicago Sky), two second-round picks (one via Sky), third-round pick
Season recap: This was a dream season for the franchise: It reached the playoffs for the first time since 2023 in just Year 2 of a complete rebuild. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were selected for the All-Star Game for the second time in their two-year careers. Shakira Austin made the biggest leap of her career and was in the running for both Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year while setting the franchise record for single-season points scored. The team developed into one of the best defensive units in the league, ranked No. 2 in defensive rating and points allowed. With a foundation built off six first-round picks in the last two drafts, Washington became the youngest team in league history to reach the postseason and had the league's best record after July 20.
State of the roster: The Mystics are in an ideal spot, with everyone but Laney-Hamilton under contract and most of the roster still on rookie deals. Austin is the only player making more than $750,000 per year. There's cap space and plenty of options. The biggest question for team president Michael Winger is whether to continue supplementing the roster with young talent in the draft or spend money on a big-name veteran to earnestly chase a championship.
Top front office priority: Shooting. Coach Sydney Johnson wants to play fast and shoot 3s, but even as the defense flourished this season, the offense was still a work in progress. The Mystics ranked No. 14 in pace and last in 3-point attempts. That makes sense for a roster where the strength is in its size and athleticism; Austin, Iriafen and Lauren Betts form one of the biggest frontcourts in the league. Citron's 3-point percentage dipped in 2026, and 2025 No. 6 draft pick Georgia Amoore has room to grow; these were her first pro games after she tore an ACL during training camp of her rookie year. The hope is that growth from both players will help, but improving the long-range shooting should be a priority.
Biggest offseason question: At this point of the rebuild, what's next? The Mystics will, again, have a lottery pick from a swap with Chicago. Do they stay on the current path, building through the draft and declining to take a big swing in free agency or at the trade deadline? Are they at a point where the front office is willing to spend on an established entity who would make the Mystics true championship contenders? Or do they believe the natural progression of the youngsters in-house is enough to make a legit run at a title? With everyone but Austin on team-friendly deals, the cash is available to add to this roster before the Mystics have to start paying out second contracts. -- Kareem Copeland
Minnesota Lynx
2026 regular season: 33-11; No. 1 seed
Postseason result: Swept by No. 8 seed New York in the first round
Free agents: Napheesa Collier (unrestricted), Maya Caldwell (restricted), Dorka Juhasz (reserved), Emma Cechova (reserved), Antonia Delaere (reserved), Chloe Bibby (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own first- and third-round picks
Season recap: The Lynx hit the 30-win mark for the third season in a row and were the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year. Olivia Miles was Rookie of the Year, and Cheryl Reeve was Coach of the Year. But the season ended in disappointment with their first-round loss to the Liberty. There were signs, though, that the early exit could happen.
The Lynx over-performed for much of the regular season, led by point guard Miles, who took charge of the offense. A lot was on her shoulders. The Lynx were without star forward Collier (offseason surgery on both ankles) until late July. The Lynx lost forwards Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith to Dallas in free agency. Cechova, a promising rookie center, was lost to an ACL injury in May after just three games. Forward Juhasz was out until early July with a foot injury. Thus, the Lynx had to rely a lot on veteran forwards Natasha Howard and Nia Brodie, and guard play led by Miles, and veterans Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams.
Minnesota lost four of its last six regular-season games and didn't improve its level of play in the latter part of the regular season or postseason. Meanwhile, the up-and-down Liberty, one of the preseason favorites to win the WNBA title, were an unlikely No. 8 seed with a record that didn't reflect how good they could be. The best version of the Liberty showed up at the worst time for Minnesota.
State of the roster: Miles is a great young building block who will be on the second year of her rookie contract in 2027. She is already one of the WNBA's most exciting players. McBride, Williams, Howard and Brodie are all signed for next season, too. But Collier, who has been with the Lynx her entire career, is a free agent. Her decision on whether to stay in Minnesota will make an enormous difference in the direction of the Lynx's future.
Top front office priority: Re-signing Collier, or figuring out how to go forward without her.
Biggest offseason question: If Collier returns to the Lynx, the key question is what else they need to win the franchise's fifth championship. They came close in 2024, falling in overtime in the last game of the WNBA Finals at New York. An injury to Collier cost them in their 2024 semifinal loss to Phoenix. And this year, they were a better team for the first four months of the season than they were the last month.
If Collier does not return, the Lynx must start a different era and likely will need to go into free agency or trade for more post talent. -- Michael Voepel
Eliminated in the regular season
All stats for teams eliminated in the regular season are through Aug. 30, when the FIBA break started.
Portland Fire
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: Karlie Samuelson (unrestricted), Emily Englster (restricted), Nika Muhl (club option)
2027 draft capital: Own first- and second-round picks
Season recap: The Fire were eliminated from playoff contention with six games left on their schedule but have had a solid inaugural season. Portland put together signature wins against Indiana, New York and Dallas, but growing pains were still evident. The Fire couldn't string together more than three wins in a row (in May), suffered a four-game losing streak in June and a five-game skid in July. Following coach Alex Sarama's Constraints-Led Approach, the Fire have a clear identity built on instinct and offensive fluidity, and they produced the eighth-best offense in the league. But their defense ranks second to last. Bridget Carleton, Sarah Ashlee Barker and Carla Leite -- who were all selected in the expansion draft -- had breakout seasons, giving Portland a solid future to build on.
State of the roster: Portland should return next season with several players who were key contributors to its inaugural year in Carleton, Megan DiLeo and Leite, and the hope is that Barker makes a full recovery from a torn ACL suffered in July. It all gives the Fire great continuity to build upon their success heading into Year 2 -- exactly what an expansion franchise wants.
Top front office priority: An elite shot creator and go-to bucket getter. Portland emphasizes the development of players already on its roster, but that shouldn't hold it back from adding that kind of player. Leite has been the Fire's leading scorer this season, averaging 15.9 points per game, with an incredible ability to drive to the bucket and finish. Carleton and Barker have shot decently from distance, but if they want to take their quick-paced offense to the next level, the Fire should add a veteran scorer. Portland would also benefit in adding a true center to help down low.
Biggest offseason question: Can Portland improve enough in Year 2 to make the postseason? Perhaps Golden State set unfair standards for what should be expected from a current-day expansion franchise -- making the playoffs in both of its first two seasons. The Fire can choose to run it back with the same group, but they could benefit from taking a swing for a big signing. -- Kendra Andrews
Chicago Sky
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: DiJonai Carrington (unrestricted), Natasha Cloud (unrestricted), Rachel Banham (unrestricted), Sydney Taylor (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own two first-round picks (including one via Atlanta), but Washington owns swap rights for one; third-round pick
Season recap: There was all the optimism in the world after a 3-1 start with wins over Golden State and Minnesota. Everything changed when 2024 No. 4 draft pick Rickea Jackson -- traded from the Sparks for Ariel Atkins -- was lost to a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season after she averaged career highs in points (18.0), rebounds (4.8), assists (2.0) and blocks (1.8). The Sky were never the same afterward as they lost 11 of the next 12 games. Jackson wasn't the only injury as Chicago leads the league with 127 games missed, according to The IX Sports injury tracker. Azura Stevens, Carrington, Courtney Vandersloot, Skylar Diggins, Gabriela Jaquez, Cloud and Taylor all missed time. Diggins never returned after July 3.
After that 1-12 stretch, the Sky hovered just below .500 the rest of the way as Taylor developed into one of the top rookie scorers in the league despite going undrafted. Cloud is having a career shooting year and Kamilla Cardoso continues her incremental growth. They weren't an easy out as of late June, but struggled with defense and consistency.
State of the roster: Diggins, Stevens, Vandersloot, Cardoso, Jackson, Elizabeth Williams, Jacy Sheldon and Jaquez are all signed through 2027. That's the core that general manager Jeff Pagliocca was excited about heading into 2026. Carrington, Cloud and Banham are unrestricted free agents. The salary cap was $7 million in 2026 and is able to move up or down by no more than 13% in 2027. As of now, and if the cap remains the same, Chicago would have about $1.8 million in cap space with eight players currently under contract.
Top front office priority: Pagliocca does not believe in tearing things down to the studs to rebuild. So, despite missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season, don't expect a youth movement to start over. The biggest acquisition is likely to be the return of Jackson. Shooting was a minus this season as the Sky rank No. 13 in 3-point percentage (29.2%) and No. 10 in field goal percentage (44.1%). They also need more stops after ranking No. 11 in the league in scoring defense (89.7). With Diggins out, Taylor was often the only player able to create her own quality looks late in the shot clock or games.
Biggest offseason question: The health of Jackson and the mindset of Diggins. Jackson was looking like the league's most improved player before the injury. When will she be ready and how long will it take to return to that level of play? The other question is where Diggins stands mentally with the team. She talked about the team's "loser mentality" in early June and also pointed to coach Tyler Marsh when questioned about the struggling half-court offense. Diggins acknowledged "an extremely frustrating experience." On July 6, the seven-time All-Star took to social media to announce that she'd been benched. She never played another game after July 3, officially due to a knee injury. However, Diggins confirmed that she hasn't asked for nor is looking for a trade. She sounded committed to the team despite the previous frustrations, which included the practice facility not being completed in 2026. -- Kareem Copeland
Los Angeles Sparks
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: Rae Burrell (restricted), Emma Cannon (unrestricted)
2027 draft capital: Own two first-round picks (including via Phoenix), two second-round picks (including via Storm) and third-round pick
Season recap: The Sparks were confident this would be the year they finally broke the five-year playoff drought. But currently sitting in 11th place in the standings, Los Angeles missed the postseason for the sixth year in a row as it struggled to find consistency. The positive early on: Kelsey Plum was playing at an MVP level and led the league in scoring. But an injury sidelined her for over a month, and then the Sparks sent her to Phoenix at the trade deadline. The Sparks also played without Cameron Brink for nine games. L.A. suffered six consecutive losses in mid-July, and another six-game skid in August, leading to the firing of former general manager Raegan Pebley.
State of the roster: The Sparks have five players under contract heading into the 2027 season: Ariel Atkins, Dearica Hamby, Erica Wheeler, Brink and Monique Akoa Makani. Nneka Ogwumike announced her plans to retire after this season, leaving a massive hole.
Top front office priority: Pick a direction. The Sparks split ways with Pebley after yet another underwhelming season. Pebley's tenure with Los Angeles was defined by win-now moves in an effort to bring back the historical dominance that the Sparks are tied to, but each fell short. With Pebley gone, Ogwumike retiring and Plum traded, the Sparks' front office -- Ariana Andonian, a former general manager and vice president of player personnel for the Philadelphia 76ers' G League affiliate, was named Sparks GM on Friday -- has to decide if the organization still wants to make moves it believes will help the team win immediately -- or if it is time for a major shake-up from top to bottom.
Biggest offseason question: Can they sign another coveted free agent? The Sparks have a good track record of landing some of the best players on the market -- most recently signing Plum in 2025 -- but with the recent turbulence the franchise has faced, and the now six-year playoff drought, can they do it again? If the Sparks choose the "win-now" direction mentioned above, they will have to figure out how they can get premier talent to fill out the roster. But it's not certain whether Los Angeles is still seen as a desirable location. -- Andrews
Phoenix Mercury
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: Kelsey Plum (unrestricted). Valeriane Ayayi (reserved), Kyara Linskens (reserved), Noemie Brochant (reserved), Jovana Nogic (reserved), Lexi Held (reserved), Marta Suarez (reserved), Maddy Westbeld (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own second- and third-round picks
Season recap: The 2026 season was an absolute disaster coming off a trip to the Finals in 2025. Satou Sabally -- the team's leading scorer with 16.3 points per game in 2025 -- left in free agency and the Mercury didn't add a prolific third running mate for Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper until getting Plum at the trade deadline. Then Plum played only five games due to injury. Sami Whitcomb, who was one of the best reserves in the league in 2025, played less than half the season. DeWanna Bonner moved into the starting lineup, but that wasn't enough. The team ended up buying out Bonner in August to allow her to join a playoff team, which ended up being Atlanta. Nearly every metric measures the Mercury as a below-average offense, and things aren't better defensively, as they are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. The defense is allowing seven more points per game from 2025 to 2026.
State of the roster: With only Copper, Thomas, Whitcomb and Natasha Mack under contract for 2027, Phoenix has the flexibility to retool the roster. Coach Nate Tibbetts will be going into his fourth season and coming off his worst since he was hired as the highest-paid coach in league history. Going from the Finals to the lottery is the wrong direction, though he didn't have as talented of a roster in 2026. With all of the recent investments into the organization, the leash might not be particularly long for anyone if the Mercury aren't back in the playoffs in 2027. Thomas remains one of the elite players in the league, but she'll turn 35 in April, and the end of her career is much closer than the beginning. Time is of the essence for the organization to return to the pinnacle with Thomas still playing at this level.
Top front office priority: Keeping Plum is the first, second and third priority. Everything hinges on getting Plum to sign after giving up a first- and second-round pick and Monique Akoa Makani. That's a lottery pick gone in what's expected to be a quality draft. Losing that for five games of sub-100% Plum would be a horrible trade and set the franchise back for the future. Acquiring Plum probably enhances the opportunity of signing other talent looking to make a run at a championship. The five-time All-Star has two championship rings with the Aces. Her decision will go a long way to determine the Mercury's offseason success. The Mercury took a big swing and are still waiting to find out the results.
Biggest offseason question: Can the Mercury return to championship contention? The biggest factor to answering that question is another: Will Plum return? This is an organization with a win-now mindset, and hovering near the bottom of the standings was unacceptable. The hiring of Tibbetts, the finished practice facility, trading for Thomas and Copper before the 2025 season and trading for Plum were all moves aimed at winning a title. Can general manager Nick U'Ren keep Plum, tweak the roster and quickly return to contention? Plum's decision will likely have the biggest impact on such. -- Copeland
Toronto Tempo
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: Temi Fagbenle (unrestricted), Isabelle Harrison (unrestricted), Kia Nurse (unrestricted), Nyara Sabally (restricted), Maria Conde (reserved), Laura Juskaite (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own first-, second- and third-round picks
Season recap: The Tempo were a .500 team and rolling along before Brittney Sykes was lost for most of the season with a plantar fascia injury. Sykes and Marina Mabrey combined to form one of the highest-scoring backcourts in the league as both were in the midst of career years. Including the game when Sykes went down, Toronto went 4-21 from that point, including a 12-game losing streak. A Grade 2 left ankle sprain suffered by rookie Kiki Rice kept the team's third-leading scorer off the floor for nearly two months. Sabally and Harrison also missed stretches due to injury. The Tempo added a young big in 2025 No. 7 draft pick Aneesah Morrow in a trade with the Sun for Maria Kliundikova and a 2028 second-round pick. As a group, the team seemed ahead of expectations under two-time championship-winning coach Sandy Brondello, but the losses piled up without Sykes and as other injuries depleted the roster.
State of the roster: The combination of Mabrey, Sykes and Rice on the perimeter is a strong foundation on which to build. There's plenty of flexibility between expiring deals and cap room to continue to tweak the roster. Julie Allemand, Morrow and Teonni Key are all under contract for 2027. Rice looks like a budding franchise cornerstone and will certainly be an All-Rookie selection.
Top front office priority: Depth and talent in the frontcourt. Harrison is an unrestricted free agent with injury history. Sabally is restricted, and has been injury-prone throughout her career and, again, missed nearly half the season in 2026. However, the 2022 No. 5 draft pick put together a career year with 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game when she was on the floor. Sabally also has a coach who believes in her in Brondello, who was at the helm of the Liberty when the team drafted her. So, there are some decisions to be made in terms of their own free agents and how to build out the rest of the roster. The Tempo are one of four teams that have had at least 100 games missed due to injury, so that added another challenge to evaluating the organization's inaugural year.
Biggest offseason question: There are few expectations on an expansion franchise in the early years. The biggest question: Was the fast start to 2026 a fluke or a sign of what could be when healthy? As Kendra wrote above, the Valkyries put pressure on all the following expansion teams after reaching the playoffs in their first year and becoming a contender in Year No. 2. The 2026 season didn't quite show the entire vision for how the Tempo want to look on the floor. -- Copeland
Connecticut Sun
The franchise will relocate to the Houston Comets in the offseason.
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: Brittney Griner (unrestricted), Kennedy Burke (unrestricted), Diamond Miller (restricted), Raegan Beers (reserved), Ashlon Jackson (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own first-, second- and third-round picks, plus additional third-round pick (via Portland)
Season recap: It was a weird season in Connecticut, the final for the Sun franchise. The team struggled early with a 2-15 start, not helped by uneven player availability. Standout point guard Leila Lacan missed time due to overseas commitments, while Griner dealt with injuries much of the season. Aneesah Morrow then fell out of the rotation and was traded at the deadline to Toronto for the rights to Maria Kliundikova and a 2028 second-round pick. The Sun were better later in the summer, but the reality of the franchise's impending relocation put a damper on the atmosphere around Uncasville.
State of the roster: The Houston front office has plenty of young talent it can choose to build around between Lacan and Saniya Rivers, as well as Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Nell Angloma, who are all either rookies or second-year players. Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards are also under contract, and both took some positive steps forward in 2026. In all, that offers plenty of flexibility for the resurgent Houston franchise to construct its first roster.
Top front office priority: From the front office down to basketball operations, there's little known so far about the Houston team's identity and philosophy moving forward, including how many Sun personnel will move with the team. But presumably the biggest goal will be to build around the team's upcoming lottery pick. The team will no doubt want to also put its best foot forward in talking to free agents this winter, whether that results in signing players for 2027 or laying the groundwork for the future.
Biggest offseason question: Will JuJu Watkins declare for the WNBA draft? Houston currently has the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick, so if the ping-pong balls fall in its favor, and the transcendent Watkins -- who has additional eligibility beyond this upcoming college season -- goes pro, that would be best-case scenario on and off the court as Houston returns to the WNBA. -- Alexa Philippou
Seattle Storm
2026 season: Eliminated from playoff race
Free agents: Stefanie Dolson (unrestricted), Zia Cooke (restricted), Jade Melbourne (restricted), Mackenzie Holmes (reserved), Jordan Horston (reserved), Taylor Thierry (reserved)
2027 draft capital: Own first- and third-round picks, plus additional third-round pick (via Dallas); also swap rights for Indiana's third-round pick
Season recap: After Seattle came within one missed shot of upsetting eventual champion Las Vegas in the first round of the playoffs last season, a ton changed for the Storm. They parted ways with coach Noelle Quinn after five seasons and hired Sonia Raman. Their top five scorers, led by forward Nneka Ogwumike and guard Skylar Diggins, left in free agency. Seattle's leading returning scorer, forward Ezi Magbegor, didn't play until July 2 due to a foot injury. And the 2025 No. 2 draft pick, center Dominique Malonga, missed eight games early on due to concussion protocol.
Seattle ownership and fans knew that this would be a rebuilding season in which the Storm would get court time for a lot of young players, including center Awa Fam, the No. 3 draft pick, and guard Flau'jae Johnson, the No. 8 pick. The Storm's lack of experience showed up most on offense, as they are near the bottom of the league in offensive rating (an estimate of points scored per 100 possessions). The Storm did a little better defensively, especially with inside enforcers such as Magbegor, Malonga and Fam, all of whom are 6-foot-4 or taller. Overall, though, there will be no surprise about Seattle's final record. This season was about improving for the future.
State of the roster: If it's healthy, a good core will return for Seattle. Guard Natisha Hiedeman, Magbegor, Malonga, Fam and Johnson are all signed for 2027. Hiedeman is the oldest of that group; she turns 30 in February 2027.
Top front office priority: The franchise that was defined by point guard Sue Bird for two decades now needs a point guard. The Storm are near the top of the league in turnovers this season, while being near the bottom in assists. That's a bad formula for seeking success. Seattle has the potential for a dominant front line, especially with Malonga and Fam being just 20 years old with vast potential. So either through free agency, a trade or the draft, Seattle could use an elite point guard who can maximize what the post players can do.
Biggest offseason question: Can the Storm get back to the playoffs in 2027? This is just the fourth time they have missed the postseason since 2004, when they won their first of four WNBA titles. If Seattle can get the right floor general and keep its best players healthy in 2027, the Storm have a chance to be back in the postseason mix where they are used to being. -- Michael Voepel