The free agency portion of the WNBA calendar is exactly why it is always wise to hold off on any talk of power rankings until the dust settles around the middle of February.
Because free agency is usually when a lot of things change.
The news that has been revealed regarding marquee players has been huge with plenty of implications. First – there was the three-team trade that is set to send Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces and Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Seattle Storm are also involved in that deal.
Then – there was the reported trade of Alyssa Thomas to the Phoenix Mercury – and the recent news of Courtney Vandersloot returning to the Chicago Sky.
The latest major news that has the WNBA family buzzing is the revelation that Brittney Griner – 10-time W All-Star – will be playing in a different uniform for the first time in her WNBA career. Griner will be taking her talents east to the Atlanta Dream.
Who would have guessed that video Griner posted on her Instagram with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray while in Miami at Unrivaled was actually a look into the Dream’s 2025 future.
Dan Padover, general manager of the Dream, saw what Nikki Fargas was doing in Las Vegas and when Nick U’ren pulled off in Phoenix and decided to enter the chat in a major way. Atlanta still made the postseason in 2024 as an eighth seed but it was a step back after qualifying as the fifth seed in 2025.
The goal for the Dream was to build upon the success of 2023 and not only to make the postseason but to win a postseason series. Atlanta qualified for the playoffs only for the eventual champion New York Liberty to make short work of the Dream.
Atlanta was one of several teams that underwent a coaching change. The Dream fired former head coach Tanisha Wright and tapped Karl Smesko to serve in her stead. Wright managed to land on her feet as an assistant to Tyler Marsh with the Sky.
The deal between Griner and the Dream is reported to be for one season. This deal not only has implications for the Dream and Mercury but for other teams as well.
For Atlanta, it is huge. BG is one of the WNBA’s marquee names. She has a championship pedigree having won a ring in 2014 with the Mercury. In addition, Griner addresses a need that the Dream were looking to address for years.
That need is a presence in the paint. Atlanta was able to get that to a high degree with Cheyenne Parker-Tyus but she is no Griner. Tina Charles managed to put together a resurgent season last year in Atlanta (one that went mostly went under the radar) but her future with the Dream was up in the air the moment the franchise let go of Wright.
If there are indeed talks between Parker-Tyus and the Aces and if Charles is on the way out of Atlanta then this could create a new Dream big three of BG, Howard and Allisha Gray. That is a trio that can match up against any in the W.
For the Mercury this does mean their interior now has to be addressed. Does U’ren decide to do so via free agency or via the draft? Only time will tell. Phoenix may do so if the rumblings of DeWanna Bonner following Thomas to the Valley of the Sun turn out to be true. Will this have any effect on Diana Taurasi’s decision to either return for one more WNBA season or call it a career?
There are two other teams that the Griner decision to go to Atlanta may have ripple effects on. Those are the Aces and Dallas Wings. Las Vegas was previously seen as a potential Griner destination but the Aces may have been financially hamstrung somewhat by the reported trade for the Gold Mamba.
Dallas is where things get really interesting. Griner could have decided to sign with the Wings and would have been an immediate fan favorite given her Texas ties. Getting players to actually want to play for the Wings is another story.
Natasha Howard declared shortly after the end of the season that she would not return to Dallas. Satou Sabally is not returning and is reportedly talking to the Liberty and Mercury. There has even been speculation that the Wings may have to trade the No. 1 overall pick because Paige Bueckers may pull an Eli Manning by deciding she wants nothing to do with Dallas.
The Wings – similar to the Dream – also underwent a coaching change. Out went Latricia Trammell, in comes Chris Koclanes. Also – out went Amber Cox as she is now part of the Indiana Fever’s front office as its Chief Operating Officer.
If the Wings do trade that No. 1 overall selection, one would think the Storm would want in on those talks. With Griner off the free agent market, one would believe Dallas would demand that Nneka Ogwumike (who also has deep Texas ties) is part of any trade package for that pick. That would give Wings fans glimpses of the D’Tigress team that never was with both Ogwumike and Arike Ogunbowale.
A marquee player such as Griner playing in a uniform other than the one she has sported for her entire WNBA career obviously will have massive a massive domino effect. Welcome No. 42 to the 404.
