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When the dust settled on the four-team blockbuster trade between the Fever, Mercury, Sun and Wings—sending stars Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally to Phoenix—13 players and five draft picks had changed hands. It was the largest transaction in WNBA history, according to Across the Timeline, and it was only a portion of the chaos. Beyond that deal and the expansion draft, another 12 starters joined new squads.
To get you caught up before the 2025 season begins on Friday, here’s the biggest moves each team made this offseason. You may just need a map to acclimate to all of the changes.
Brittney Griner left Phoenix, the only WNBA team she’s known, and now gives Atlanta’s three-happy offense a second dominant post presence next to new acquisition Brionna Jones. But don’t expect Griner to be confined to the paint: She was a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the preseason, and shot 5-of-9 from three in Unrivaled.
It’s a homecoming for Courtney Vandersloot, who spent her first 12 seasons in Chicago. She and former Mystics All-Star Ariel Atkins upgrade the Sky’s backcourt. By adding Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen, too, the Sky shored up last season’s shooting woes.
Tina Charles became the Sun’s first league MVP in 2012. The center returns after 12 years away, most recently in Atlanta, and brings plenty of veteran experience to a remade roster. Trade acquisition (and former Wings rookie) Jacy Sheldon will provide a scoring punch behind Charles and Marina Mabrey.
DiJonai Carrington, 2024’s Most Improved Player with the Sun, brings defensive tenacity to a young Wings squad, while forward NaLyssa Smith offers upside in Dallas’s front court and potential versatility as a small-ball five.
Belgian guard Julie Vanloo epitomizes the Valkyries’ international flair and Tiffany Hayes, last season’s Sixth Woman of the Year with the Aces, adds a spark to Golden State’s backcourt. By season’s end, though, the Valkyries best guard might be Carla Leite, a 2024 Wings draft pick who stayed overseas in France last season.
Veterans Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner, who both previously played for coach Stephanie White, give the Fever a scoring punch and some much needed experience. Former Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham will deliver even more shooting prowess off the bench.
After a down year in Seattle, 2023 scoring champ Jewell Loyd joins an Aces team hunting for a return to the WNBA Finals. Depth remains an open question, but guards Tiffany Mitchell and Dana Evens can at least spell the stars off the bench.
Former Aces guard Kelsey Plum will power the up-and-coming Sparks, who haven’t cracked .500 since the 2020 season. Longtime Seattle big Mercedes Russell should find rotational minutes before Cameron Brink returns from injury.
The Lynx didn’t make many moves, but didn’t need to, largely keeping the 2024 WNBA Finals roster intact. Minnesota did bring in former Mystics guard Karlie Samuelsson, an easy fit into the Lynx’s system.
Liberty fans once gave Natasha Cloud a standing ovation for her 33-point playoff performance against their team. Now she joins New York’s backcourt and fills the hole left by Vandersloot’s departure.
The prize haul of the offseason, All-Star forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally will form one of the league’s top Big Threes, joining Kahleah Copper. The problem? Outside of Copper, Sabally and Thomas, the Mercury have only one player who averaged more than 16 minutes a game last season: former Wings guard Sevgi Uzun.
Alysha Clark returns to the Storm with more championship experience and is a weapon from three. Seattle also brought in nine-year veteran Erica Wheeler, who will fight for minutes alongside new additions Lexie Brown and Zia Cooke.
The Mystics rebuilt through the draft, picking Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore in the first round. After Amoore tore her right ACL, though, Washington will be searching for backcourt production beyond Brittney Sykes.
