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Minnesota Lynx Predicted To Decline After Historic 2025 WNBA Season

Will the Minnesota Lynx be just as good next season, or will they fall from grace?

Jack Haslett

Sep 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the second half against the Golden State Valkyries at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Sep 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the second half against the Golden State Valkyries at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The WNBA season is freshly over, and 2026 is a long way away with a tumultuous offseason ahead. An expiring CBA and a massive free agent class have introduced more uncertainty to the future of the league than ever before.

With so many variables at play, making a prediction at how next season will go is a shot in the dark at this point. Still, ESPN has taken a look at what next season can bring, and the Minnesota Lynx will be heading toward a shakeup in their eyes.

In ESPN's Way-Too-Early WNBA Power Rankings for 2026, the Las Vegas Aces reign supreme. It's an obvious choice with the Aces dominant sweep in the WNBA Finals and A'ja Wilson's MVP-winning brilliance still fresh in everyone's minds. What follows though is a drop in the rankings for the Lynx that the team or their fans might not have expected.

The Lynx Drop Down

ESPN has the Lynx ranked at fourth in the power rankings behind the Aces, the Phoenix Mercury at second, and the Atlanta Dream at third. The Lynx held the best record in the 2025 regular season at 34-10 and swept the Golden State Valkyries in the first round before being eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals.

Key injuries to DiJonai Carrington and Napheesa Collier hurt their chances, but the Lynx have asserted themselves as a powerhouse in the league. The question for the Lynx, as it will be for every other team in the league, is if they will retain the majority of their players.

Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride.
Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) looks on against the Phoenix Mercury in the second half during game one of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Collier, Carrington, Kayla McBride, and Alanna Smith are all free agents, putting Minnesota's elite core at risk. Despite the uncertainty, the Lynx has shown a deep interconnectedness, evidenced by the support Collier has received since starting her verbal sparring match with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

Who Will Be in Minnesota Next Season?

The Lynx appear to be a destination for their players to return to, if not attract free agents as well. Once their roster is secured, there is the question of the Expansion Draft that will be coming to accommodate two new WNBA teams in 2026. Who the Lynx will decide to protect will be a question once they have players to protect, but Collier, McBride, and Smith are obvious choices.

Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith.
Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith (8) celebrates making a shot against the Phoenix Mercury in the second half during game two of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

It will surely be a tough battle for the Lynx next season with the dominant Aces and both the Mercury and Dream asserting themselves as dominant forces. There is also the issue of the upstart Valkyries and an Indiana Fever team that will see a healthy Caitlin Clark return to their roster, but the Lynx will likely still be able to expect another strong season under their belt.

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Jack Haslett
JACK HASLETT

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