The timeline for when the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will start assembling their rosters for the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft remains uncertain. Previously, each team was permitted to protect six players from the Golden State Valkyries, but ESPN’s Kevin Pelton reported this week that teams will likely be allowed to protect only five players in the upcoming expansion draft.
With many WNBA players expected to switch teams during free agency, potentially earning significantly higher salaries, the league appears poised for a major shakeup, with many teams essentially undergoing rebuilds.
Earlier this month, there was speculation about which six players the Washington Mystics would protect under last year’s rules. If Washington is limited to protecting only five players, which ones would make the cut?
Pelton suggests Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoua, Shakira Austin, and Jaycee Sheldon as those likely to be protected. While I agree with Citron, Iriafen, Amoua, and Austin being protected, since they form a promising young core that Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger and Mystics GM Jamila Weidman want to develop, I’m doubtful about Sheldon’s protection. Pelton also mentioned Emily Engstler as a possible protected player, but I’m leaning toward safeguarding Thug Sutton instead.
Feel free to share your thoughts below.
Fan Take: This potential reorganization signals a thrilling period of change for the WNBA, offering fans a chance to see new talent and team dynamics emerge. The expansion draft and resultant roster shifts could elevate the league’s competitive balance and accelerate its growth on and off the court.
