EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe extremely condensed WNBA offseason officially begins Friday with the expansion draft (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), when the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo get their first opportunity to start building their rosters.Both expansion franchises have been preparing for this draft for months as the league and the Women's National Basketball Players Association navigated contentious and lengthy negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. With no draft rules provided to the teams during the negotiations, sources told ESPN that the front offices at Portland and Toronto were preparing for many different scenarios but used the rules in place for the Golden State Valkyries expansion draft in December 2024 as a baseline.When a new CBA was verbally agreed upon on March 18, setting up and executing the expansion draft was the top priority.Toronto won a coin toss held last week and chose to pick sixth in the first round of the April 13 WNBA draft, which means Portland has the first pick in the expansion draft (and will pick seventh overall on April 13). Last Sunday, each of the 13 preexisting franchises had to submit a list of five players they will protect from the expansion draft.The expansion draft will consist of two rounds. The Fire and the Tempo -- the WNBA's 13th and 14th franchises -- will alternate picks and can select up to one unprotected player from every other team. On Wednesday, however, Portland and Toronto completed trades with the Chicago Sky. Neither will select players from Chicago's unprotected list; the Sky swapped pick No. 17 in the April 13 draft with Portland's No. 21 pick, and Chicago sent pick No. 26 (via New York) in the April 13 draft to Toronto.There are a few notable changes to this year's expansion draft compared with the Valkyries draft: Both teams can select only one unrestricted free agent Any unrestricted free agent who is no longer eligible to be designated as a core player (five or more years of service) can be selected by either franchise Portland and Toronto are the only teams that can offer those players the supermax salary As unrestricted free agents, those players still have the freedom to sign elsewhere despite being selected by one of the expansion franchisesEach team's list of protected players will not be released, but sources told ESPN that these changes have impacted how some front offices chose to protect players, making calculated risks in the players left unprotected.With all that in mind, ESPN breaks down who the top player left available could be from each team.Atlanta Dream: Maya Caldwell, 5-foot-11, GCaldwell has had to battle to earn a roster spot in the WNBA, having been waived or released five times since being drafted in the third round in 2021. But she keeps coming back and had her best full season last year, averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds. Initially chosen No. 33 by Indiana in 2021, Caldwell was waived before that season started. She played nine games for Atlanta in 2022, returned to Indiana for 2023, and then spent the past two seasons with the Dream. At 27, she could handle an expanded role. -- VoepelChicago Sky: Sevgi Uzun, 5-10, GA native of Turkey, she started her career in Dallas in 2024, playing 40 games that year. She was part of a multiteam trade in 2025 that sent her to Phoenix, where she played seven games before being waived in June 2025. She was signed in July by the Sky, for whom she played 18 games and averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 assists. At 28, she has extensive experience overseas. -- VoepelConnecticut Sun: Lindsay Allen, 5-8, GPretty much the definition of a veteran guard who keeps finding roster spots, Allen has played for six teams in eight seasons. She was a second-round pick in 2017 by New York and spent her first season with the Liberty. Last year, she played 31 games for the Sun, averaging 2.4 points and 2.2 assists. At 31, she's not going to blow anyone away with her stats, but she's a dependable, experienced pro. -- AndrewsDallas Wings: Haley Jones, 6-1, F/GThe No. 6 pick in the 2023 draft by Atlanta, Jones never really blossomed with the Dream. She played 83 games with Atlanta but didn't average more than 4.0 PPG a season. Waived by the Dream at the start of last season, she played four games with Phoenix but was waived again. She then went to Dallas and got more playing time last season in 24 games with the Wings, averaging 8.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds. If she can be that type of player this season, she could be a good expansion pickup. -- VoepelGolden State Valkyries: Cecilia Zandalasini, 6-2, FGolden State is at risk of losing a key player, no matter whom Toronto and Portland pick. It's a testament to how the Valkyries built their roster for their inaugural season. But among the players who could be available, Zandalasini should be considered a top option. Her length and shooting from the wing have proven value, and she would provide a new team with veteran experience and leadership. -- AndrewsIndiana Fever: Makayla Timpson, 6-2, F/CA second-round pick at No. 19 last year by Indiana, Timpson filled in as a rookie reserve post for the Fever. She played in 31 regular-season games (2.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG) and eight playoff games (2.3, 1.9). She didn't get a lot of playing time but showed some skill when she did. She could improve a lot with an expanded role this season. -- VoepelLas Vegas Aces: Kierstan Bell, 6-1, GBell was inserted into Las Vegas' starting lineup for the second half of the season as just one adjustment to address an underwhelming start to the season. That move paid off. This role change for Bell proved she can be a solid scorer, and her coach highlights her cutting as her best asset. She should be attractive to the expansion teams because they'll be picking up a reliable player with championship experience, but on a cheaper contract. -- AndrewsLos Angeles Sparks: Rae Burrell, 6-2, FThe Sparks will have a handful of desirable players left unprotected. There's an argument that Rae Burrell could be protected, with her coming off an incredible stretch of basketball in her second season with Unrivaled. But with the team almost surely keeping Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, that leaves just one more spot left, which will probably go to Azura Stevens. So, if Burrell is available, Portland or Toronto should take a swing on the athletic, young wing. -- AndrewsMinnesota Lynx: Bridget Carleton, 6-2, FCarleton played just eight games as a rookie in 2019 after being drafted in the second round by Connecticut: four with the Sun and four with Minnesota. But she found a home with the Lynx and has played the past six years with them. Over the past two seasons at Minnesota, she started 80 games, counting the playoffs. Last year, she averaged 6.5 points and 3.2 assists. The Lynx might not want to expose her to the expansion draft, but if they do, she is a dependable veteran who will take on any role. Carleton also is a native of Ontario, which could make her an appealing choice for Toronto. -- VoepelNew York Liberty: Emma Meesseman, 6-4, FA second-round steal by Washington in the 2013 draft, Meesseman was the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP for the Mystics. She spent seven seasons in Washington, with her commitment to the Belgian national team keeping her out the 2018 and 2021 seasons. She played for Chicago in 2022 but didn't compete in the WNBA in 2023 or 2024. Last season, she joined the Liberty in August, playing 17 games in the regular season and averaging 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. In her three playoff games, though, she averaged just 4.3 points with 5.3 rebounds. If Meesseman, who turns 33 in May, is available for the expansion draft, she would be a good pickup provided she plans to play in the WNBA this season. -- VoepelPhoenix Mercury: Lexi Held, 5-10, GA 25-year-old rookie last season, Held proved she can come up with big shots in big moments, playing a rotational role in the Mercury's run to the Finals last year. She also played a critical part in keeping Phoenix afloat during the stretches when some of the team's stars were injured. She's the kind of young yet steady player who could help kick-start a franchise and who has the potential to become a star. -- AndrewsSeattle Storm: Nneka Ogwumike, 6-2, FSeattle is stacked with unrestricted free agents, so if someone is selected from the Storm, that player could be the one UFA Portland and Toronto are allowed to take. Ogwumike is a 35-year-old veteran but still has good basketball to be played. Her presence on a team building from the ground up could provide the leadership other teams only dream of having. Since Ogwumike is unrestricted and no longer core eligible, she can go anywhere she wants. Portland and Toronto are the only teams that can give her a supermax contract. So, if she is interested in that after fighting so hard for a new CBA, joining one of the expansion franchises could be an attractive destination. -- AndrewsWashington Mystics: Jacy Sheldon, 5-10, GShe was originally drafted No. 5 in 2024 by the Dallas Wings, and she has a strong reputation for defense. In February 2025, she was traded to Connecticut and played 28 games for the Sun last season. Then in August, she was traded to Washington, appearing in two games for the Mystics before suffering a right ankle injury that kept her out the rest of the season. For her career, she has averaged 6.3 PPG, and she could probably benefit from a fresh start. -- Voepel
