In a notable move within the WNBA, Breanna Stewart of New York has been awarded the franchise tag by her team, which restricts her ability to sign directly with other franchises. This designation is part of a broader strategy, as other prominent players such as Kelsey Plum from Las Vegas, Satou Sabally of Dallas, and Gabby Williams from Seattle have also received similar tags.
The deadline for teams to apply core designations to eligible players is set for next Monday, just prior to the opening of negotiations between players and teams. By placing the franchise tag on a player, a team extends a one-year offer at the maximum allowable salary in the league, which amounts to $249,244. This move secures the player and prevents them from entering free agency.
Stewart was instrumental in leading the Liberty to their inaugural WNBA championship last fall, making her franchise tag expected as she had already expressed her desire to continue with the team. Meanwhile, Sabally has stated that she does not intend to remain with Dallas, and by designating her with the core status, the Wings now have the capacity to trade her rather than risk losing a key player without any compensation.
As for Plum and Williams, they have yet to disclose their intentions regarding their futures with their respective teams. According to the existing collective bargaining agreement, which will conclude after the upcoming season, players can be designated as franchise players a maximum of two times; Stewart’s situation marks the second consecutive season that New York has applied the core tag to her. Each team is permitted to utilize the franchise tag on one player only.
Negotiations for free agents are set to commence on January 21, with formal signing beginning on February 1. Several top unrestricted free agents to watch include Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones, DeWanna Bonner, and Kelsey Mitchell. Additionally, Brittney Griner is a free agent as well, but she has previously indicated her wish to play only for the Phoenix team.
