3 Bold predictions for 2025 WNBA free agency

WNBA free agency officially starts in February of 2025 and promises a lot of excitement. Several big names could become available in free agency, and rumors already started to emerge almost as soon as the 2024 season was over. Satou Sabally, for example, has been linked to the Indiana Fever. Adding Sabally to the Fever’s big three of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell could make Indiana a contender right away.

Other big names set to become free agents include Natasha Howard, Alyssa Thomas, Nneka Ogwumike, DeWanna Bonner, Breanna Stewart, and Kelsey Plum. While some of them, like Briann Stewart who just won a championship with the New York Liberty, are not expected to go anywhere, others could cause some big surprises this offseason.

There is no way to know what will happen for sure, but there is always room to make some bold predictions.

3. Kelsey Plum leaves the Las Vegas Aces

Kelsey Plum has played her entire WNBA career with the same franchise and won two titles with the Aces. She has become a staple in Las Vegas and was one of their best players once again in 2024.

Nevertheless, it could be time for a change. Plum is the one Aces star who did not receive an extension yet, and the team fell short in the playoffs, losing to the New York Liberty in four games in the semifinals.

If Plum wants a change, there will be plenty of options for her out there and several incentives for her to move on from the Aces. Teams will try to lure Plum away from Las Vegas—after all, who would want an incredibly talented scorer who can space the floor and play tough defense?—and will be willing to pay. Some teams could even give Plum the opportunity to become the face of a franchise.

A return to the Aces is not out of the question yet, but Plum will surely explore her options, and some might just be intriguing enough to see her with a new team in 2025.

2. The Golden State Valkyries immediately emerge as a big player

With the players they selected in the expansion draft on December 6, the Golden State Valkyries officially have their first eleven players. They landed some interesting young players, like Kate Martin, Veronica Burton, and Carla Leite, but largely seemed to focus on getting solid veterans.

Pretty much everyone on the Valkyries’ roster can shoot threes and defend at a high level. That is the basis for some solid, fun basketball. What the Valkyries are still missing is a star and a face of the franchise. Finding that type of player can take a while for expansion teams, and the Valkyries might just decide to tank until they land a young franchise piece in the WNBA Draft.

They could also emerge as a big player in free agency already, though. The Valkyries have nice, modern facilities, do not seem afraid to spend money on their players and their comfort, and Joe Lacob already voiced his confidence in the team’s ability to win a title in the next five years.

That may be enough to pique the interest of some bigger names out there, looking to help kickstart a new franchise or for a bigger role and change of scenery.

1. The Sun lose all three of their big free agents

Since 2017, the Connecticut Sun have been a regular in the WNBA Playoffs. They made it to the finals twice in 2019 and 2022 but never quite got over the hump. This offseason, the Sun already lost Stephanie White who returned to the Indiana Fever as the team’s new head coach. The blows may just keep coming.

Three of the Sun’s top players will be unrestricted free agents this offseason: Brionna Jones, Alyssa Thomas, and DeWanna Bonner. Losing all three in free agency would be a terrible blow for the Sun, but it is not unlikely. The Sun’s roster just was not good enough to truly compete, even after trading for Marina Mabrey, and it does not seem like that will change in 2025. Teams like the Liberty, Lynx, and Aces will still be powerhouses with the ability to beat the Sun.

Bonner is already 37 years old and could very well decide that leaving the Sun is the best way for her to compete before retiring. If Bonner wants to leave, Thomas likely will as well. The latter has already expressed some discontent with the Sun being behind other teams when it comes to facilities and general appeal. Without either of them, there really is no reason for Jones to stay in Connecticut, unless she is hoping that they will retool around her.

Fans should be prepared to see all three suit up for new teams next season.