How Paige Bueckers, other Dallas Wings are impacting WNBA CBA negotiations

The WNBA is currently in the middle of negotiations with the players’ union as they try to hash out a new CBA, and both sides still seem far apart in those. The players want more money, which is understandable when players like Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark are driving the increasing interest in the league.

ESPN’s Michael Voepel, Alexa Philippou, Kevin Pelton, and Kendra Andrews recently talked about how every portion of the league is impacting or could be impacted by negotiations, and it all starts with the stars like Clark and Bueckers.

“Clark, for example, has high-profile endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, State Farm and Gatorade that provide her much more income than her WNBA salary. She is part of a group of players — both veterans and those still on rookie contracts — who could weather a potential work stoppage without financial hardship,” Voepel wrote.

“Clark has two years left on the rookie contract she signed as the No. 1 pick in 2024. Once she becomes a free agent, she could afford financially to do what [A’ja] Wilson has done: take a lower salary to ensure playing with a strong group of teammates that fits under the salary cap. However, we don’t know if the new CBA will result in fewer instances of players being willing or feeling the need to do that.”