Breanna Stewart's Liberty Decision Signals Trend for WNBA Free Agency
Over 100 WNBA veterans are set to become free agents later this month, including many of the league's top superstars.
Because of this, there are some expectations among fans that the league's landscape will change massively over the next few weeks, and that some of the sport's staples could be wearing new jerseys by the time training camp begins in late April. And while that may be the case in some regards, the reality isn't quite as uncertain.
Shortly after news that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was ratified (which is what prompted to many WNBA veterans to become free agents this offseason), it came out the superstar forward and reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson would be signing a $1.4 million supermax "as soon as possible," with the Las Vegas Aces, according to Callie Fin of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Therefore, this means that Wilson's free agency is essentially already over. And she isn't the only top-tier player who is in this position.
What Breanna Stewart's Free Agency Assertion Means for WNBA's Landscape
During an April 1 episode of her "Game Recognize Game" podcast, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart said, “I’m just gonna set the record straight here. I will be staying in New York. I'm not planning on taking any free agency meetings, even though I'm an unrestricted free agent. My family is set up here, we're solid here."
"I’m gonna be back in New York, and that's all there is to it," she added.
“I’m gonna set the record straight…even though I am unrestricted free agent…I’m gonna be back in New York“
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 1, 2026
— Breanna Stewart pic.twitter.com/fjiAUSPTOC
One can imagine that most of the league's biggest impending free agents will take a similar route as Wilson and Stewart. For one, the $1.4 million supermax contract that Wilson and Stewart will both ultimately sign is about 20% of their team's cap space.
While this isn't limited to teams that have current star players, those teams are more familiar with their current cap structure and can therefore navigate more easily in what's going to be a hectic few weeks with many other moving pieces.
Not to mention that, as Stewart alluded to, these plays already have roots in their existing franchises, both on and off the court. It wouldn't make sense to uproot that if they're already making as much as they could be with their current team.
Another star who will likely (although not certainly) take a similar route is Napheesa Collier with the Minnesota Lynx. And this trend may continue even deeper into the free agency pool as the offseason progresses.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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