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The 2025 WNBA preseason has come to a close, and teams are now making final roster cuts as the regular season inches closer.
Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty, fresh off a WNBA championship win in 2024, went 1-1 in the preseason, missing Stewart for their only loss.
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During the offseason, another Liberty standout, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, suffered a major knee injury during the inaugural Unrivaled season. In March, she underwent “surgery on her left knee to repair an acute meniscus injury,” leaving her sidelined for five to six months.
This procedure comes less than a year after having minor surgery on her right knee in July 2024, leaving her out for six weeks before returning for the playoff run.
New York Liberty stars Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Betnijah Laney-HamiltonWendell Cruz-Imagn Images
With Laney-Hamilton likely ruled out for the season, New York was forced to suspend her contract, according to WNBA reporter Khristina Williams. The two-time All-Defensive player is in the final year of a two-year, $365,400 deal.
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This suspension means that Laney-Hamilton’s “contract and roster spot won’t count against the salary cap and will allow the Liberty to have 12 active players on opening day.”
“The New York Liberty have suspended (the contract of) Betnijah Laney-Hamilton for the 2025 season due to a non-WNBA injury,” Williams wrote on X. “She suffered the injury while competing in the Unrivaled 3×3 basketball league and underwent surgery in March to repair a meniscus tear in her left knee.”
Joining the league in 2015, Laney-Hamilton bounced around numerous teams before joining New York for the 2021 WNBA season. In 2024, she averaged 11.8 points on 45.6% shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. She also won the 2020 WNBA Most Improved Player award and made her only All-Star appearance the following year.
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Despite missing their star, the Liberty did acquire Natasha Cloud from the Phoenix Mercury during the offseason. She should be able to help fill some of the void that is left with Laney-Hamilton’s injury.
The Liberty will open the regular season against the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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