WNBA free agency officially began on Saturday, April 11th. It’s been just over two days and a lot has happened. New “superteams” are forming, mindboggling trades have been made, but most importantly, a lot of money is being earned by athletes who have long deserved it. As for the Minnesota Lynx? If you haven’t heard by now, well, let’s just put it this way: The team will look very different compared to the last two seasons.
Let’s dive into what Cheryl Reeve and her front office have, but more like
haven’t done so far.
At a Glance
Departures:
- Bridget Carleton to Portland Fire (Expansion draft)
- Maria Kliundikova to Toronto Tempo (Expansion draft)
- Natisha Hiedeman to Seattle Storm (Free agency)
- Jessica Shepard to Dallas Wings (Free agency)
- Alanna Smith to Dallas Wings (Free agency)
- DiJonnai Carrington to Chicago Sky (Free agency)
Reported unsuccessful Minnesota negotiations:
- Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks)
- Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries)
Signings:
- Courtney Williams
- Kayla McBride
- Natasha Howard
- Nia Coffey
- Elishka Hamzová
- Emma Čechová
- Aubrey Griffin
- Jaylyn Sherrod
- Reigan Richardson
- Antonia Delaere
Current anticipated depth chart:
PG: Courtney Williams (31)
SG: Kayla McBride (33)
SF: Ola Kosu (20) / Aubrey Griffin (24)
PF: Napheesa Collier (29) / Nia Coffey (30)
C: Natasha Howard (34) / Dorka Juhász (26)
Training camp: Jaylyn Sherrod (G – 24); Reigan Richardson (G – 23); Elishka Hamzová (G – 24); Antonia Delaere (G – 31); Emma Čechová (C – 21)
Key Losses
Obviously losing six key starters/rotation players is going to hurt. With Napheesa Collier set to miss an unspecified amount of time to start the season, there was going to be an opportunity for last season’s depth to shine. Unfortunately, many of them opted to chase the money and/or opportunity elsewhere.
The biggest loss is clearly in the frontcourt. Alanna Smith was a co-Defensive Player of the Year and an anchor for the Lynx defense in the past two seasons. She was a major part of the major success they experienced and barring some untimely injuries that hampered her production in the postseason, the Lynx may have won it all. Twice. Jessica Shepard finished third in Sixth Player of the Year voting and was a box score monster all season. Last but not least, Maria Kliundikova was an extremely capable third big who was an effective two-way player.
Bridget Carleton was a player that was expected to be lost in the Expansion Draft had Reeve not elected to protect her, which is appears she did not. Carleton is sixth in franchise history in games played and her ability as a dependable connector, defender, and shooter earned Reeve’s trust over her seven seasons with Minnesota. That cannot be replaced.
Natisha Hiedeman and DiJonnai Carrington were a pair of bench spark plugs that electrified Target Center every time they touched the court. The former was second in Most Improved Player voting and second in Sixth Player of the Year last season, often hitting clutch shots at the end games. Carrington had a very brief, but memorable stint with the Lynx after Reeve gave up on former number two pick, Diamond Miller, for her. It was anticipated by many that Reeve would be able to retain Carrington, but alas, the best laid plans…
Key Additions
By many accounts, Minnesota went big game hunting. They met with several marquee players during the free agency negotiation period (Many unleaked by balloon companies), but it appears none of those dreams came to fruition. Many fans were frustrated by Minnesota’s front office’s lack of results on Saturday and it’s understandable, considering they’ve only signed a pair of 30-year-olds to fill a gaping frontcourt hole.
However, Natasha Howard is still a very capable forward that can produce.
A cursory look at her overall box score numbers last season make it look like the 34-year-old had career-lows she hadn’t seen since 2017, when she helped the Lynx win their last championship. In 2025, 11.4 points and 6.6 rebound doesn’t really jump off the screen. But “Flash” started in all 44 games for the sixth place Indiana Fever, as well as the eight postseason games during their unlikely run to the semi-finals. Howard was actually third on the team in total win shares, a positive on both ends of the court. The former Defensive Player of the Year will likely get a healthy share of minutes for Minnesota.
Outside of Howard, there will be a lot of opportunity for young players this season. For perhaps the first time in a long while, Reeve will need to throw some paint on the wall and see what sticks. Last year’s draft picks, Ola Kosu and Aubrey Griffin (re-signed on a rookie contract), as well as this year’s number two overall pick, will all be in their early 20s and playing in positions of need. It’s doubtful that Reeve leans heavily on such unproven players, but she seems to have no other options at the moment.
What’s Next
By my count, there’s currently eight out of 12 roster spots that are filled, with five out of six training camp spots that have been reported. A lot of this season hinges on when Collier will return, but the way the front office has moved, it appears that they could be open to using this as a tanking rebuilding year. There isn’t a ton of talent left unsigned at this point, so it may be wise to use these spots on young, unproven talent.
There are teams such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and even the Dallas Wings trying to contend with Las Vegas, who is running it back with their squad. It seems unlikely that the Lynx, as currently constructed, have the roster on paper who can compete with many of them. That said, with Cheryl Reeve, you can never truly rule out the Lynx. It’s always safe to assume they’ll overperform expectations.
There are still former All-Stars and champions that haven’t officially signed as of Sunday night, such as Natasha Cloud, Emma Meeseman, Tina Charles, Kayla Thornton, and more. But will the Lynx be able to land them? Will they even want to join a potentially rebuilding Minnesota season?
Later tonight, the 2026 WNBA draft will take place at at 6:00pm CT and broadcast on ESPN. Minnesota has the second pick in the first round, and the last pick in the last round. It’ll be intriguing to see who the Lynx decide to select, as many mock drafts have seen bigs Awa Fam or Lauren Betts go second, as well as guards Olivia Miles or Azzi Fudd.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Reeve opts to package the pick to refill future assets, trade down, or even acquire a veteran. However, given their current direction, the latter seems unlikely. Meanwhile, the Lynx notably traded down in the 2024 draft from the number seven pick, electing not to select Angel Reese, and getting the eighth select to Alissa Pili. Reese is a multi-time All-Star while Pili is no longer in the league.
Whatever happens, our team will bring you the latest with the Minnesota Lynx.
