NBA commissioner Adam Silver expresses confidence in getting new WNBA CBA done

The WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Oct. 31, and unless the league and the player’s union agrees to a new deal, a lockout could be on the horizon. There hasn’t been a ton of forward progress on getting a new CBA deal done, and players have been incredibly vocal in their criticism about the handling of the negotiations. Minnesota Lynx star Naphessa Collier has made the strongest comments to date, calling out league commissioner Cathy Engelbert, saying in part, “We have the worst leadership in the world.”

Despite the tense ongoing labor negotiations, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is expressing confidence in a new deal getting done.

“We will get a deal done with the players,” Silver said Monday. “Lots of work left to be done, but we’ll, of course, get a new collective bargaining deal done.”

Silver didn’t mention if that will come before or after the current deal expires, but implying a deal will get done in some capacity suggests that perhaps there’s been some progress. Silver also noted that the financial aspect isn’t the only thing that needs to be figured out with the league, but relationships likely need to be repaired, too.

“Cathy Engelbert has presided over historic growth in the league, but there’s no question that there’s issues we need to address with our players,” Silver said. “They’re not just economic. There’s relationship issues, as well.”

Silver’s comments likely allude to what Collier said as part of her statement during her exit interviews following the Lynx losing in the playoffs. In that statement, Collier recalled a conversation she had with Engelbert, where she said the commissioner allegedly responded to a question about pay raises for some of the league’s brightest young stars like Caitlin Clark with: “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”

After Collier’s comments, many players supported what the five-time All-Star said, with league MVP A’ja Wilson saying she was “disgusted” by Engelbert’s comments. Engelbert has since denied she ever said Clark should be “grateful,” and following her response, Collier reportedly canceled a meeting she had with the commissioner, as the relationship has been “pretty much pushed beyond repair.”

Players are fighting for a bigger share of the league’s revenue, as they currently receive just 9.3%. Compare that to the nearly 50% NBA players receive from the Basketball Related Income (BRI) that they split with the league, and you’ll notice a massive discrepancy. With a $2.2 billion new media rights deal set to kick in next season, and the addition of five expansion teams over the next five years, it’s obvious the WNBA is growing at a rapid rate. However, player salaries haven’t reflected that growth and popularity. The players have been adamant about what they want from both a financial and relationship standpoint, but we’ll have to see if the league is willing to meet them halfway to get a new CBA done. 

Silver seems to think a new deal will get done, but things will have to come together quickly for that to happen. If nothing is agreed to, there’s always the option that the WNBPA and the league can agree to an extension of the current terms. An extension allows negotiations and league business to continue, but if that doesn’t happen, then a lockout is a possibility, something that likely neither side wants.