Sparks make crucial Aari McDonald decision ahead of WNBA free agency

The WNBA free agency period is set to begin on Jan. 21, but in the meantime teams are allowed to tender qualifying offers to reserved and restricted free agents as well as assign core designations. The Los Angeles Sparks made one such move ahead of the WNBA free agency period by tendering a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Aari McDonald.

Aari McDonald is a restricted free agent and therefore the Sparks would be able to match any offer she receives in free agency. McDonald had been in the final year of her rookie scale contract she had signed with the Atlanta Dream.

The contract decision was a given and is a sign the Sparks believe the former Arizona star is a part of their future. The Sparks hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft for the second year in a row. Last season they used that pick on former Stanford star Cameron Brink. Brink was having a strong rookie year before suffering a season-ending ACL injury.

For a team that is firmly mired in a rebuild, a veteran presence at point guard like McDonald would be a good thing to have.

Aari McDonald’s 2024 season with Sparks

McDonald joined the Sparks in the 2024 offseason via a sign-and-trade with the Dream that involved Jordin Canada heading to Atlanta. She had played three seasons for the Dream after they selected her with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft.

McDonald battled injury issues during her final season in Atlanta, but made a strong recovery in the second half of the season to regain the form she displayed when she finished second in the 2021 Rookie of the Year voting.

In her first season with the Sparks, McDonald took on more of a leadership role despite only being in her fourth year in the league. She alternated between the starting lineup and the bench, and provided a boost whenever she was on the court.

In 26 games, including ten starts, McDonald averaged 8.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists with splits of 40.3 percent shooting from the field, 31.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 84.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Should she return to the team, the Sparks will be welcoming Lynne Roberts as head coach after parting ways with Curt Miller at the conclusion of last season.

The team has missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons now. Last year they finished with the top odds for the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, but lottery luck didn’t bounce their way as the Dallas Wings secured the top pick.

David Yapkowitz is a basketball journalist for ClutchPoints, writing news on the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA Basketball for both men and women. The Los Angeles native has bylines with Basketball Insiders, SB Nation, and The Next Hoops.