The WNBA trade deadline, historically, hasn't been as dramatic as its NBA counterpart, but things could be changing. A large number of the free agent contracts signed before the season were one-year deals, as players tried to position themselves to take advantage of an expected salary bump coming with a new CBA. That means you have an usually large number of impact players on expiring deals, and potentially more motivation for teams to make deals and try to recoup some value from players they would lose anyway.
Add to that a slew of contenders looking to push the Lynx and Liberty and this year's deadline could deliver some serious action. Here's everything you need to know as we get closer.
When is the WNBA trade deadline?
The WNBA Trade Deadline is Thursday, Aug. 7, at 3:00 p.m. ET. After that time, teams can't trade players again until the player negotiating period of the offseason opens. For the 2025 season, that date was Jan. 21. The date has not yet been announced for the upcoming offseason.
Why aren't there more trades during the WNBA season?
Trade season is typically much quieter in the WNBA than it is in the NBA. There were just three trades during the 2024 WNBA season, with just two competed on the day of deadline. One factor is that there are simply fewer teams in the WNBA — fewer teams jockeying for position in the standings, fewer players available to be acquired.
However, we have already seen two completed trades so far this season, and the volume of rumors implies we could see several more before the deadline.
What are the rules about trading players in the WNBA?
Trades can be completed any time before the trade deadline, however there are a few key restrictions.
Teams do not need to match salaries in a trade. However, they need to be able to accommodate the player's full base salary under the salary cap, even if the amount they owe they actually owe the player is prorated by the amount of the season remaining.
Players can be traded individually or in groups. However, teams need to abide by roster restrictions. So, players may be waived before or after to create enough roster space for an unbalanced trade.
Players cannot to be traded until at least two weeks after their contract has been signed. This means anyone signed close to the deadline or on a hardship contract, may not be eligible to be included.
Teams can not include cash compensation in trades. This is a notable difference from the NBA, where owners are allowed to sweeten the pot with financial incentives.
Can WNBA teams trade draft picks?
Yes, WNBA teams can trade picks, and several for the 2026 and 2027 WNBA Drafts have already changed hands. There is no explicit limit in the CBA on how far into the future teams can trade picks. HerHoopsStats had previously reported that the league had an unwritten policy that teams could only trade picks for the year of the upcoming draft: "For example, starting on January 1, 2021, teams can trade 2022 draft picks but not picks covering 2023 or later."
However, that appears to no longer be the case, as 2027 picks have already been moved in trades completed in 2025. So far, there do not appear to have been any picks for 2028 or later that have been traded.
Who are the best players who could be traded this season?
Arike Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington: The Dallas Wings have gotten incredible production from No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, but it's become increasingly clear that there are too many cooks in their backcourt kitchen. Bueckers is firmly entrenched as the point guard of the future, and fellow rookies Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly have both impressed. And then there is emergency pick-up Haley Jones, in her third season and on her third team, but still carrying the shine of being the No. 6 pick in 2023 and averaging 13.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.1 steals in six games with the Wings, shooting 53 percent from the field.
With the Wings clearly early in a rebuild, veteran guards like Ogunbowale and Carrington are both looking expendable. Both will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, giving the Wings an incentive to try and recoup some value for players they're unlikely to re-sign. On paper, Ogunbowale is a star, but it might be difficult to find a team willing to take on such a ball-dominant, low-efficiency scorer for what could be a one-year rental. As a strong defender on a slightly cheaper deal, Carrington may be easier to move.
Aaliyah Edwards: The No. 6 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Edwards had her moments as a rookie but struggled to consistently make an impact. Her minutes have been cut dramatically this season with the emergence of rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, and her long-term fit in Washington is looking tenuous.
Edwards should have plenty of suitors, especially from teams like Connecticut and Dallas, and with two more years of team control on her contract, could pull a bigger return than Carrington or Ogunbowale, even if she's a less accomplished player.
Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles: The Sun are near the bottom of the standings and already looking toward the future. They have two first-round picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft, but those are coming from Phoenix and New York courtesy of previous trades and their own pick, which will fall in the lottery, is owed to Chicago.
All that means the Sun could look to move productive veterans like Mabrey or Charles for young talent or draft assets. Mabrey is a polished perimeter scorer who could really help teams like the Valkyries, Storm, Dream or Mystics. Charles is an NBA legend, in the twilight of her career, but still a big body with post scoring chops and the ability to make a difference on the glass.