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WNBA Free Agency: How much is a max contract?

By Ian Levy

Sep 13, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Connecticut Sun forward/guard DeWanna Bonner (24) during the first quarter against the Las Vegas Aces in game two of the WNBA Finals at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Connecticut Sun forward/guard DeWanna Bonner (24) during the first quarter against the Las Vegas Aces in game two of the WNBA Finals at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports /
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Salary, contracts and the pay gap are an ever-present topic in WNBA discussions. What will the best players earn on a WNBA max contract this season?

WNBA free agency begins on Jan. 21 when players and teams can begin negotiating on new contracts. Those deals can become finalized starting on Feb. 1. Some of the league’s best and brightest players are on the market this year and several large contracts could be in play.

How much is a WNBA max contract?

The current WNBA CBA, which took effect in 2020 and will last through 2027 sets two levels of max contract salary for each season. The basic max salary for each season is:

  • 2023: $202,154
  • 2024: $208,219
  • 2025: $214,466
  • 2026: $220,900
  • 2027: $227,577

The higher tier, the supermax, is as follows:

  • 2023: $234,936
  • 2024: $241,984
  • 2025: $249,244
  • 2026: $256,721
  • 2027: $264,423

How does a player qualify for a WNBA max contact?

Any player is eligible for a max contract. A supermax contract is only open for players who are signing an extension of their rookie-scale contract (helping incentivize young stars to stay with the team that drafted them) or to be a veteran with five or more years of experience and re-sign with the same team (helping teams retain their stars).

Which WNBA players are already on a max contract?

Just four players — DeWanna Bonner, Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Natasha Howard — will be on a supermax contract for next season.

Which WNBA players could sign a max contract this offseason?

Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, Nneka Ogwumike, Briona Jones and Diana Taurasi are all eligible for max contracts and could theoretically be strong candidates. However, they would all need to be re-signing with their current teams for supermax deals and that’s far from a certainty, especially for Stewart.

Who is the highest-paid WNBA player?

It remains to be seen what current free agents will sign for, but as of right now Bonner, Delle Donne and Diggins-Smith will be the highest-paid players for next season.

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