WNBA’s trade deadline comes with plenty of uncertainty

The MLB trade deadline last week delivered a whirlwind of moves. 

Will the WNBA’s trade deadline, scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m., present the same level of drama? 

It’s hard to say. 

After speaking with several coaches, general managers and agents, the sentiment around the league is that no one really knows what to expect. 

“It’s interesting, right?” first-year Wings coach Chris Koclanes said last week. “When you have teams that are right there, and is this their window? Do they need to add one more piece and really go for it? … That’ll be the questions that all these GMs are asking themselves [before the deadline.] But yeah, we’ll see what kind of movement ends up happening.” 

There are a few reasons for this. 

For starters, basically every player who’s not on a rookie contract is eligible to be a free agent after this season. 

Contending teams have to ask themselves whether it’s worth surrendering one or more future assets, such as draft picks or players under contract beyond 2025, for essentially a two-month rental player. 

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said that’s part of why teams who might be considered “sellers” or looking to off-load talent for long-term assets may be at a disadvantage this time around. 

“It makes it more challenging for the teams that maybe have a player and maybe in an ordinary year could be a seller because of where they are and what their future goals are, that opportunity is a little less,” she said. Since most players are on expiring deals, “the value isn’t going to be there as it would maybe be in normal years.” 

It’s hard to say how big of a shift the 2026 free agent bonanza may impact the landscape of the league. 

Will star players choose to re-sign with their current franchises? Or could another be more alluring? 

Also, there’s so much uncertainty looming ahead for the WNBA as collective bargaining agreement negotiations continue. 

Expansion draft rules are part of the CBA, so teams don’t know what to expect for this offseason’s event for the incoming Toronto and Portland franchises. 

Last year, teams were allowed to protect six players. That could change this time around. 

It’s also notable that historically the WNBA trade deadline often comes and goes without blockbuster moves. 

The most significant midseason trade in the league’s history was when the Sky dealt Sylvia Fowles to the Lynx in 2015. 

Fowles went on to help Minnesota win the WNBA Finals that season and played seven more seasons there before retiring from her Hall of Fame playing career. 

Conversations between teams are constantly happening over the course of the season. That’s been no different this time around. 

Some of those discussions are just preliminary temperature checks to gauge other’s interest, while others are more serious. 

Connecticut (5-21) is one of the teams who are in an opportunistic situation entering this week. 

General manager Morgan Tuck told The Post she’s not actively searching to make a move, but her door is always open. 

“For me, it’s just seeing what comes in, right?” she said. “I’ve always been one to listen to what other teams are thinking or if there’s interest in certain players, and I always listen. I just think it’s a good way to get an idea of how they value things or what they think.” 

The Sun’s entire starting lineup from last season’s WNBA semifinals run left in the offseason. Connecticut is in rebuilding mode and spent this offseason gathering draft capital and young players. 

It’s been a tough season for the Sun, who earned their best win of the season Friday against the Liberty. But Tuck is excited about the players Connecticut has and for the Sun’s future. 

“Now I feel like we’re in a position, based off where we’re at, it’s like, ‘Alright, let’s see what makes sense. If it makes sense, great, and if it doesn’t, we’ll be all right,’ ” Tuck said. 

Sun guard Marina Mabrey had been denied a trade request before the season, but seems to be in a solid spot now as she’s settled into the season. 

The Sun aren’t actively shopping the seven-year guard. 

Players who have been mentioned as possible trade candidates include the Wings guard/forward DiJonai Carrington and Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards. 

Whether the ongoing conversations translate into actual transactions will be seen in a few days. 

“You never know,” coach Sandy Brondello said. “This league shows parity. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night. So I think that’s great for the league. But where the teams [are], what they want to move and who they want to shift off … there’s a lot of conversations behind the scenes there. But for us, we’re happy with what we done, who we got.”