WNBA's 2025 Offseason: Expansion Draft, Historic Free Agency, and Expanded Draft Under New CBA

The WNBA’s 30th season opens May 8, 2025. Expansion teams Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will draft players on April 6 after teams set protected lists (April 1-5). A free-agency period (April 7-12) includes 100+ agents, MVPs A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. The college draft on April 13 expands to 45 picks with teams. Training camps open April 19.

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The prior CBA expired in October 2024. After eight days of talks, the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association signed a CBA in February 2025, calling it a “transformational” deal. Commissioner Cathy Englebert said the delay will not affect the May 8 opening date.

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• April 1-5 – Teams finalize protected players (up to five per team).

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• April 6 – Expansion draft; coin flip decides order, each new team selects 12 players.

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• April 7-12 – Free-agency qualifying offers, negotiations, and signings.

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• April 13 – College draft in New York City (45 selections).

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• April 19 – Training camps begin.

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• May 8 – Regular-season opener.

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Over 100 free agents are available. Salary cap jumps to $7 million, with a $1.4 million supermax. Average salary is $600,000; minimum exceeds $300,000. Teams field 12 players plus two development spots. The draft expands to 45 picks (15 teams, three rounds).

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The CBA’s financial terms increase player earnings and give teams greater roster flexibility, reshaping team-building strategies. Adding Toronto and Portland expands league’s market reach and creates fan bases, while compressed free-agency period may limit player movement and affect contract lengths.

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Englebert said “the delay will not affect opening date” and confirmed camps. The WNBA and WNBPA called the deal “transformational.” Sources said expansion draft will follow Golden State Valkyries model from December 2024.

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Front-office executives and agents warn the shortened free-agency window could curb player movement and spur short-term contracts, pushing negotiations into next offseason. Some argue larger salary pool promises a “healthy amount of movement” despite tight timeline.

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• The exact count of free agents is cited as “more than 100” without a precise figure.

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• Salary-cap figures reference a 2025 baseline of $1.5 million while the new cap is $7 million; the transition timing is unclear.

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• “transformational” — WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association

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• “The average salary will be around $600,000 ($120,000 in 2025), with the minimum salary surpassing $300,000 ($66,079 in 2025), sources told Charania.” — Shams Charania, ESPN reporter

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Teams must lock in protected-player lists by April 5, hold expansion draft on April 6 and complete free-agency signings by April 12. The April 13 draft will set rosters ahead of training camps, after which league will monitor movement trends and refine strategies for inaugural seasons of Toronto and Portland.

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