The WNBPA’s CBA negotiations are one of the biggest talking points at the moment. With players demanding equal pay, the uprising is threatening to put the league under a lot of stress. The widespread discontent among the athletes was pretty much visible at the All-Star game. Prominent WNBA stars sported ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ t-shirts during the warmup. And with a fresh new CBA incoming, things might get a bit risky in the WNBA.
While players and owners might not rule out a potential lockout, they could still reach a new CBA agreement. However, that too can lead teams to change their strategies drastically as the trade deadline approaches.
Latest CBA Negotiations To Make WNBA Teams Get Hasty?
The WNBA players are demanding league revenue equal to that of the NBA. While Adam Silver’s league hands the NBA stars 50% of the revenue, the likes of Caitlin Clark get only a mere 9%. However, as the new contract is likely being drafted, most veterans and other big names will become unrestricted free agents. This might, in turn, force teams to hastily opt for trades before the deadline.
Unfortunately, while such a move might provide a temporary relief, it is not a permanent solution. According to reports from High Post Hoops, players traded in before the deadline might change their minds later. Once the season ends, they might choose not to stay with the teams that traded for them. This would mean that the teams will be giving up valuable assets for athletes who might leave during the offseason.
Players reveal their “pay us what you owe us” shirts under their warmups
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) July 20, 2025
WNBA players have expressed frustration over lack of progress in CBA negotiations pic.twitter.com/wCSpFim1jn
Speaking about the ones who will not be free agents, there are only a handful. Players on their rookie contracts will not become free agents. As for the veterans, only Lexie Brown and Kalani Brown will not be entering free agency. On the contrary, stars like Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu, and A’ja Wilson will all become unrestricted. Meanwhile, with the players getting agitated, a WNBPA executive shared some important updates on the same.
WNBPA Exec. Hints At Lingering Frustrations From WNBA Players
In order to strike a middle ground, the WNBPA hosted a meeting with the players. Surprisingly, almost 40 players turned up for the meeting in Indianapolis. Speaking about the outcome, Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson detailed the frustrations from the players.
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
“I understand why they felt frustrated. We had said that we wanted significant progress by the time we got to All-Star Weekend. They[players] did whatever they could to get here. They changed their flights. … Some of them moved their paid appearances with their partners. This is their money,” he said(via Twitter/@kendra__andrews).
Thus, with the situation looking grim, fans cannot wait to find out what’s next.
Also Read: Breanna Stewart Leads WNBA Stars In Bold CBA Fight For Fair Pay