Back in the Stew York Groove; Liberty Re-Signs Breanna Stewart on Below-Max Deal
Call it a dream Stew deal.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the New York Liberty have re-signed reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart on a "one-year, non-guaranteed below-maximum deal" that will allow the team to comfortably keep its elite opening five. The Liberty have since confirmed Stewart's re-signing.
“It’s a monumental day in New York as we are thrilled to welcome back the MVP, Breanna Stewart,” Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said in a team statement. “Stewie's return marks our unwavering commitment to excellence and our collective drive to bring a championship to New York. Welcome back, Stewie!”
Brandon Todd, NY Liberty
Stewart signed with the Liberty last season as one of three elite newcomers next to Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot. That joined up with retained All-Stars Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney to stage a WNBA Finals run as well as the franchise's best numerical season with 32 victories.
The return of Stewart was long assumed, as general manager Jonathan Kolb announced intentions to grant her core designation status, which would've granted her a max one-year deal almost immediately after last season ended. With frugality apparently prevailing, the Liberty have extra spending money to add a veteran now and further flexibility when it comes time to negotiate with Stewart herself (especially considering a player can only receive a core offering three times in her career, no matter the bestower).
A native of Cicero, NY, Stewart averaged a career-best 23 points en route to her second career MVP award. The historic season, which also featured a Commissioner's Cup victory for the Liberty and their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2002, also saw Stewart earn first-team All-WNBA and All-Defensive honors.
While New York's offseason has been relatively quiet, one can argue that the team has mostly gotten its work done in the past and future: the team re-upped with Laney and sixth woman Kayla Thornton before last season ended and now has the potential to keep Stewart around even longer.
The Liberty's 2024 season opens on May 15 when they face the Washington Mystics on the road.
