Wnba Preview: Caitlin Clark Returns While Aces And Liberty Remain Most Formidable Teams

2026 record: 30-14, mislaid successful 2nd round

Coach: Karl Smesko (second season)

In: Angel Reese

Out: Brittney Griner

After winning 30 games past season, nan Dream kept their halfway speech from Griner, and replaced her pinch Reese. Smesko’s squad will beryllium an elite rebounding team, and 6-foot-6 rookie Madina Okot could get immoderate clip to create into Atlanta’s adjacent star. Brionna Jones has an uncertain timeline pinch a knee room scheduled, truthful that mightiness beryllium Okot’s champion chance to make an impact.

2026 record: 21-23, missed playoffs

Coach: Lynne Roberts (second season)

In: Erica Wheeler, Nneka Ogwumike, Ariel Atkins

Out: Azura Stevens, Rickea Jackson

The Sparks mightiness person put together nan astir completeoffseason of anyone successful nan WNBA. In adding Ogwumike and Atkins, they person a existent chance to amended upon their league-worst defense. Trading distant 2025 first-round prime Jackson is simply a risk, though, but 1 that GM Raegan Pebley believed would thief this squad this season.

Nneka Ogwumike, playing for nan Storm while trying people against Sparks guardant Dearica Hamby, is backmost successful L.A. Ogwumike and Hamby, some All-Stars, will springiness nan Sparks a formidable frontcourt.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

2026 record: 11-33, missed playoffs

Coach: Rachid Meziane (second season)

In: Brittney Griner, Kennedy Burke

Out: Tina Charles, Marina Mabrey

It’s nan Sun’s past play earlier they caput to Houston and go nan Rockets. Leila Lacan and Saniya Rivers will get different chance to look arsenic leaders for a squad successful transition, while rookies Nell Angloma and Gianna Kneepkens could get immoderate morganatic playing clip early. Having Griner to found a seasoned beingness successful nan station besides helps nan Sun person immoderate direction.

2026 record: 10-34, missed playoffs

Coach: Tyler Marsh (second season)

In: Rickea Jackson, Jacy Sheldon, Skylar Diggins, Azura Stevens, Natasha Cloud

Out: Angel Reese, Ariel Atkins, Kia Nurse, Hailey Van Lith

Chicago had 1 of nan astir confusing offseasons successful caller representation and it sewage moreover alien successful nan week earlier nan play erstwhile it released Van Lith and added Cloud. The Sky revamped their personality by trading Reese and adding Diggins and a young subordinate to build astir successful Jackson. But they besides traded a first-rounder for Jacy Sheldon and different for protection successful nan description draught only to fto players spell anyway. Former UCLA prima Gabriela Jaquez earned praise passim preseason campy and could beryllium a facet for nan team.

Dream guardant Angel Reese tries to powerfulness her measurement past Chicago’s Maddy Westbeld during a preseason game.

(Sage Zipeto / Getty Images)

2026 record: 16-28, missed playoffs

Coach: Sidney Johnson (second season)

In: Michaela Onyenwere, Angela Dugalic, Lauren Betts

Out: Jacy Sheldon, Alysha Clark, Sug Sutton

Washington has nan slightest knowledgeable squad successful nan league, keeping each six of their draught picks connected nan roster. Georgia Amoore is backmost aft tearing her ACL past twelvemonth arsenic a rookie, and cornerstone players Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron are successful conscionable their 2nd years. The only vets are Shakira Austin and free supplier signee Michaela Onyenwere, who besides coached rookies Dugalic and Betts astatine UCLA past season.

2026 record: N/A

Coach: Sandy Brondello (first season)

In: Marina Mabrey, Laura Juškaitė, Brittney Sykes, Temi Fagbenle, Kia Nurse, Kiki Rice

Out: N/A

Toronto sewage nan astir WNBA-ready talent of nan 2 description clubs. Rice mightiness play a batch arsenic a rookie and thief group up nan semipermanent scheme for nan Tempo, who person plentifulness of veterans to build astir this season. Fagbenle is connected an description nine for nan 2nd consecutive play arsenic a protect anchor.

2026 record: 27-17, mislaid successful first round

Coach: Chris DeMarco (first season)

In: Satou Sabally, Rebecca Allen

Out: Kennedy Burke, Natasha Cloud, Stephanie Talbot

The only existent alteration to nan Liberty’s halfway is nan summation of Sabally, a two-way forward. Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu are back, too. The Liberty should beryllium 1 of nan champion teams successful nan convention yet again and pinch immoderate of nan astir established chemistry.

2026 record: 34-10, mislaid successful WNBA Finals

Coach: Cheryl Reeve (17th season)

In: Natasha Howard, Nia Coffey

Out: Natisha Hiedeman, Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, Bridget Carleton

The Lynx will beryllium without Napheesa Collier until June, meaning nan Lynx are going to person to find caller ways to score. Add successful nan only returning starters are Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride, and this Minnesota squad is going to look a batch different. No. 2 wide prime Olivia Miles could get immoderate early time, while Natasha Howard should get a scoring boost pinch a larger domiciled than she had successful Indiana.

2026 record: 30-14, WNBA champions

Coach: Becky Hammon (fourth season)

In: Chennedy Carter, Stephanie Talbot, Brianna Turner

Out: Kiah Stokes

The defending champions went into training campy knowing what their roster would look like. The Aces won their 3rd title successful 4 seasons successful 2025, and nan only existent nonaccomplishment was Stokes. Carter is an electrical scoring summation aft not playing successful nan WNBA past season, but nan Aces aren’t fixing what isn’t broken.

2026 record: 10-34, missed playoffs

Coach: Jose Fernandez (first season)

In: Jessica Shepard, Alanna Smith, Alysha Clark

Out: Myisha Hines-Allen

The Wings person gone 19-65 successful nan past 2 seasons but they return starring scorer Paige Bueckers, added Azzi Fudd successful nan draught and person immoderate hope. Veteran and second-leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale signed long-term, Maddy Siegrist is 1 of nan much underrated reserve guards successful nan league, while Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard springiness nan Wings nan astir cohesive squad they’ve had successful years.

2026 record: 27-17, mislaid successful 2nd round

Coach: Nate Tibbetts (third season)

In: Kyara Linskens, Jovana Nogic, Peyton Williams

Out: Satou Sabally

The Mercury mislaid Sabally but still brought backmost 5 of their apical six scorers from past season. They’d for illustration to spot much accumulation from Natasha Mack successful Sabally’s place, but for nan astir part, nan Mercury are banking connected a strongseason from DeWanna Bonner and different leap for Monique Akoa Makani.

2026 record: N/A

Coach: Alex Sarama (first season)

In: Bridget Carleton, Nyadiew Puoch, Carla Leite, Haley Jones

Out: N/A

Can Carleton beryllium a building artifact subordinate for a caller franchise? She had a breakout twelvemonth pinch Minnesota but is now going to beryllium nan anchor for a squad starting new. It will beryllium a learning curve for Leite, a 22-year-old playmaker acquired from nan Valkyries successful nan description draft, and nan highly young roster.

2026 record: 23-21, mislaid successful first round

Coach: Sonia Raman (first season)

In: Stefanie Dolson

Out: Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Erica Wheeler, Brittney Sykes

The rebuild is underway successful Seattle aft nan Storm fired Noelle Quinn and mislaid nan mostly of their seasoned players. Only 1 starter, Ezi Magbegor, is backmost but will miss astatine slightest nan first six weeks because of a ft injury. Dominique Malonga and Awa Fam could beryllium a nosy station duo, while Flau’jae Johnson is going to get a chance to radiance arsenic a rookie.

2026 record: 23-21, mislaid successful first round

Coach: Natalie Nakase (second season)

In: Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes

Out: Monique Billings, Temi Fagbenle

Can nan Valkyries tally it back? There is simply a batch of religion successful past year’s description club, but nan imaginable draft-day flub of trading distant Flau’jae Johnson has shaken immoderate of that. Williams is 1 of nan champion free-agent adds of nan offseason, though, and Stokes will adhd immoderate protect punch disconnected nan bench. Their biggest mobility is wherever scoring will travel from.

2026 record: 24-20, mislaid successful first round

Coach: Stephanie White (fourth season)

In: Monique Billings, Tyasha Harris

Out: Brianna Turner

Caitlin Clark returns aft missing each but 13 games because of injuries (quad, groin, ankle) past season, and tin she beryllium backmost successful existent form? The Fever person built astir her pinch Aliyah Boston connected a four-year deal, Kelsey Mitchell is backmost and they added rookie defender Raven Johnson and seasoned guardant Billings. There is simply a batch of unit connected nan Fever to get it together arsenic a existent contender.