Golden State Valkyries WNBA Growth Draft Format, Defined
The WNBA can be having an enlargement draft in every of the subsequent two years, because the Golden State Valkyries are set to affix the league in 2025, whereas new franchises in Portland and Toronto will convey the league to fifteen groups in 2026.
For months, the WNBA had not supplied any particulars on what the enlargement drafts will seem like, however on Monday we lastly acquired the small print on how the league will deal with the 2025 model that the Valkyries will use to construct out their inaugural roster. It’s attainable that there can be totally different parameters utilized in 2026, as there can be two groups selecting gamers, however we will not less than understand how the Valkyries roster can be constructed and what avenues they’ll have so as to add gamers and make strikes. Right here, we’ll undergo all the things we all know from the WNBA’s launch on the upcoming enlargement draft.
When is the Valkyries enlargement draft?
Friday, December 6, and it will likely be broadcast on ESPN.
What number of gamers can every workforce defend?
The 12 present groups can defend six gamers on their roster, which means half of every workforce’s roster can be obtainable for the Valkryies to select from. Groups must resolve who to guard from their full listing of gamers they’ve rights to as of the ultimate day of the common season. The groups must submit their listing of protected gamers roughly 10 days earlier than the draft begins.
What number of gamers from every workforce can the Valkyries draft?
The Valkyries will solely be capable of choose one participant from every workforce, which means they can’t choose all six gamers eligible from the Aces to fill out their roster.
Can the Valkyries draft free brokers?
Sure, however they’d solely get the rights to that participant that their present workforce has. The Valkyries may also solely choose one unrestricted free agent within the enlargement draft, supplied they haven’t been on a Core contract for 2 or extra seasons. In the event that they do choose an unrestricted free agent, they will use the Core Participant provision on them in January, which supplies them unique negotiating rights with that participant — whereas guaranteeing a suggestion of a 1-year, max contract for the participant.
Can the Valkyries make trades earlier than the enlargement draft?
Sure. As soon as the roster lists are submitted, the Valkyries will be capable of negotiate trades with different groups up till a chosen time on enlargement draft day. They are going to be allowed to make commerce agreements to pick a sure participant within the enlargement draft and commerce them to a different workforce, or to make offers to pick (or not choose) sure gamers from a workforce they’re making a commerce with.
Do the Valkyries should construct their full roster from the enlargement draft?
No. They’ll choose a participant from every workforce in the event that they wished to fill out a 12-player roster, however they’ll even have draft picks (nonetheless TBD on the place they’ll be selecting) and may signal gamers in free company. The more than likely state of affairs is the Valkyries go away the enlargement draft with only a portion of their roster stuffed out.
Will we be taught what gamers are on every workforce’s protected listing?
Sadly, no. In response to Ari Ivory, the league confirmed to her that they won’t be releasing the protected participant lists to the general public. We’ll solely discover out what gamers get chosen by the Valkyries from every roster.
