Connecticut Sun Must Embrace Youth Movement for Future Success

The Connecticut Sun don’t have much choice but to build around a young core of players as the 2025 season winds down.

Connecticut Sun guard Leila Lacan (47) passes the ball during the second half against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Connecticut Sun, like the rest of the WNBA, knows this offseason has the potential to be a tumultuous one.

The WNBA and the WNBA Players Association are engaged in discussions around a new collective bargaining agreement, one that would start for the 2026 season. With unprecedented interest and investment in the league, the expectation is that the salary cap will increase, as will player salaries.

Per SI, the WNBA salary cap for the 2025 season is $1.507 million, which is 20% of league revenues. The spending minimum is $1.261 million, per Her Hoop Stats. The revenue devoted to player salaries is likely to increase, perhaps as much as twice as much as the current allocation. Many players planned for the opportunity to test free agency under a new CBA.

The list of the WNBA’s top players that are free agents after this season is a who’s who of the game. It includes Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum and Liberty forward Breanna Stewart. And that’s just a short list.

The Sun are no different. Most of their top veterans are unrestricted free agents after the season, including center Tina Charles, guard Marina Mabrey, guard Lindsey Allen and guard Bria Hartley. Mabrey, for example, made $210,000 this season. She could double her salary, perhaps more, next season.

That’s why it is critical for the Sun to build around the five players the know they have under team control for 2026 and give them as much playing time as possible down the stretch to build up for next season.

The Sun’s Young Core

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Sun have five players that are under team control for at least the next two seasons, per Her Hoops Stats — forward Anessah Morrow, guard Saniya Rivers, forward Aaliyah Edwards, guard Leila Lacan and center Rayah Marshall. The Sun have other players that are considered restricted free agents after this season, such as center Olivia Nelson-Odoba. But until it’s clear how the new CBA will treat restricted free agents, the Sun may want to assume they could lose the third-year pro.

Lacan has been a revelation of late and is now averaging 10.0 points, along with 2.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. She also has 2.3 steals. Right now, she would be the leading returning scorer in 2026. Rivers, also a rookie, will probably get more playing time down the stretch after the injury to Bria Hartley. But she’s averaged 8.3 points and 2.6 assists. They could be the backcourt of the future.

Morrow and Edwards could be the same in the frontcourt. Morrow was the Sun’s first-round pick this year and she’s averaged 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds as a part-time starter. This stretch should be a chance for her to get starts in each of the Sun’s remaining games. Edwards joined the franchise earlier his month in a trade. She’s only played in 10 games for the Sun, but she’s averaged 5.0 points and 2.2 rebounds. With Washington she was averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Marshall has only played in 11 games and is averaging less than two points per game.

With five games remaining this season, it’s time for the Sun to give the quintet the run of the place. After all, they’re the future — at least until the Sun and the rest of the WNBA know that the new CBA looks like.