Winsidr‘25 Power Rankings — Volume 6 » Winsidr

Before we look too deeply into possible playoff matchups, there’s an important season milestone approaching—the trade deadline.

With the trade deadline fast approaching this week, I added something special to our power rankings. With each team’s rank, I offer a question I believe each team needs to address at the trade deadline. That may include adding or subtracting picks and players, or it may include how to stay the course. Recall that with the new CBA expiring after the season, many players have aligned their contracts to end accordingly. This trade deadline, much like others, may not be potent with player movement, but unlike others, this deadline may have the most possibility for said movement.

As a reminder, the rankings below are an aggregate of the Winsidr team. We poll our team to vote regularly throughout the regular season on where each team stands. We display each team with its current record and its record since the last edition of our power rankings.

Enjoy!

13. Connecticut Sun (5-22) — 2-3 since PR Vol. 5

Question: How many players will say goodbye to Uncasville?

The Sun have been one of the worst teams in the league all season, and their 2-3 record over the past couple of weeks hasn’t changed that. Marina Mabrey might be their most attractive trade piece, but players like Bria Hartley and Lindsay Allen could also be on the block. Recouping young talent, but especially high-value draft picks, is the actionable item of the week.

12. Chicago Sky (7-21) — 0-6

Question: What is the path back to relevance?

This may not be a question answerable this week, but with Chicago amid an eight-game losing streak and too many bloated contracts to move at the deadline, what is their best course of action? They don’t own their own first-round pick; that belongs to the Minnesota Lynx, who simply could not be happier. They do own the Phoenix Mercury’s first-rounder, but that’s likely to be in the bottom third of the draft. What is Chicago’s ability to shed some contracts and recoup some draft capital in the hopes of making a massive turnaround into next season?

11. Dallas Wings (8-21) — 2-4

Question: How do you continue to open up playing time for the youngsters?

Dallas has bounced back and forth between small hot streaks and very icy play. I think it’s finally time to close the door on what they hoped to accomplish this season. They’ve already begun preparations, offloading DiJonai Carrington to Minnesota for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson, and a second-round pick. Can they, too, find a home for Myisha Hines-Allen, or the aforementioned Samuelson? It’s time to let the youngsters run the show and see what they have alongside Ogunbowale and Bueckers. 

10. Washington Mystics (13-15) — 2-4

Question: Which direction is most important for the future?

It’s been a helluva season from the Mystics. My coach of the year vote, if I had one, would go to Sydney Johnson. This team wasn’t supposed to be anything special, yet Johnson has them competing in every game. They’ve gone 2-4 in their past six games, continuously hovering around .500. They are currently only one game out of a playoff spot, and while I wouldn’t necessarily advocate for selling when you’re that close, they’ve certainly been playing with house money this season. What is the best approach? Offloading some veterans or pushing for a playoff spot, even if it isn’t a great one, and giving the young team some playoff experience? This week will tell us a lot about what this front office’s vision is.

9. Los Angeles Sparks (12-15) — 4-1

Question: Who can they add to round out the bench?

The Sparks have been on fire of late, turning things around in a hurry that has coincided with the return of Cameron Brink. This has left them just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot. Their bench, however, averages the fewest points per game (PPG) in the league. Is there an available bench player worth adding who could help shore up the second unit?

8. Golden State Valkyries (14-14) — 4-2

Question: Can they weaponize their cap space to improve their playoff rotation?

Golden State has followed up a couple of bad weeks with a reversal of fortunes, going 4-2 in its previous six games. As such, they possess, but not especially comfortably, a playoff spot, but a lot could change in the coming weeks. Unlike other teams, this team has a plethora of cap space to work with. What will be available for the Valkyries that’s possibly worth breaking up their chemistry, if at all?

7. Las Vegas Aces (15-14) — 4-3

Question: Can they find the requisite offense to solidify a playoff spot?

It would’ve been an unthinkable concept before the season started, but Las Vegas is barely holding onto a playoff spot. Their offense has struggled, finding itself near the bottom in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, rebounds per game, and assists per game over the past couple of weeks. Can the Aces find some help outside the organization? They don’t have a lot of cap flexibility or supremely valuable picks, and as such, the found offense may have to come from within.

6. Seattle Storm (16-13) — 2-4

Question: Are there any external offensive players available to complement their top-notch defense?

The Storm, owners of a 2-4 record in their previous six games, are where they are in the standings, both due to the team’s exceptionally strong defense and its middling offense. Finding a taker for Alysha Clark’s contract, despite her importance in the locker room, will be critical to finding the needed cap room to acquire some offensive punch.

5. Phoenix Mercury (17-11) — 2-4

Question: Can they improve their three-point shooting?

The context of this question comes from their very poor 2-4 record over the past couple of weeks and shooting the worst three-point percentage during that span. The Mercury aren’t likely to find what they want on the trade front, as collectively they are a good team that can compete with anyone at any time. They don’t have a first-rounder next season to dangle, but if they make a move, it should be to shore up their distance shooting.

4. Indiana Fever (17-12) — 5-1

Question: How do they continue developing rapport with one another?

The Fever have been on a roll lately, going 5-1 in their previous six to return to a top-five spot in the standings. They have a full slate of 12 players, including the recently signed Chloe Bibby and her guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season. As such, it’s unlikely Indiana will have the requisite roster flexibility to maneuver any meaningful deals, so their focus should be on how to incorporate not just Bibby into their cohesion, but everyone collectively. It’s been an up-and-down season given the lofty expectations in the preseason, especially with Caitlin Clark’s injuries, so how this team rallies together to solidify their playoff seeding and overall standing as a tight-knit group will be something to behold in the coming weeks.

3. Atlanta Dream (18-11) — 5-2

Question: How do they continue developing defensively?

The Dream have been an impressive squad all season, especially considering their star Rhyne Howard has been out all of July with an injury and no immediate update for a possible return. Another coach of the year candidate is Karl Smesko, who has done all he can in keeping his squad locked in, going 5-2 in their previous seven games and keeping them within that second tier of WNBA teams. They have almost no cap room and not a lot of movable pieces that would guarantee netting a better player, so they will have to find ways internally to improve their steals per game and opponents’ turnovers per game, both of which are near the bottom in the league.

2. New York Liberty (18-10) — 3-4

Question: How fast can this team get healthy?

The Liberty are 3-4 in their last seven games, but a lot of this has to do with the team’s injuries. To repeat, the team will need everyone healthy, as the Lynx look even more formidable, especially after the Carrington deal, and the second tier of teams looks deeper than last year. The Liberty just added Emma Meesseman into the fold, and once they get all their injured players back, they should be just fine for the playoffs.

1. Minnesota Lynx (24-5) — 4-1

Question: When do the playoffs start?

The Lynx made their big move this week after missing out on Meesseman, snagging Carrington to round out a team that may be better and deeper than the runner-up squad last year. The Lynx right now are the WNBA’s best team in the regular season, and all they really need to do is continue playing as they have been, stay healthy, and look ahead to another deep playoff run.