The delay in WNBA CBA talks leaves very little time for the franchises and players to plan for their futures. With just one supermax contract offering, teams are already in jeopardy of securing their top talent in free agency. Teams like the Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever are faced with tricky 2026 free agency decisions.
But it also leaves many talented players up for grabs for the other teams, and the expansion teams will find it easier to build a team around a proven superstar missed in the expansion draft.
Top Five Free Agents In 2026 WNBA Free Agency
As of today, 80% of league players are without contracts, matching their contract lengths to the new CBA implementation. While this massive number already creates significant chaos, a few superstar players are set to become eligible for supermax contracts in 2026 free agency under the new CBA, and their franchises will use their options to secure them in the 2026 lineup.
Even this supermax signing would cut only the top 13 players from the list, leaving more than 95 players available in free agency. Here are the top five free agent signings who could define the fate of their new franchises.
Alyssa Thomas
The Phoenix Mercury showed its intent to keep its core intact, but could offer a supermax contract to just one player. Former Connecticut Sun star is arguably the most versatile and impactful unrestricted free agent available for the 2026 WNBA season. Known as “The Engine,” she is coming off a historic 2025 season with the Phoenix Mercury, where she led them to the WNBA Finals and became the league’s all-time leader in triple-doubles.
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In 2025, AT set the WNBA single-season record for total assists (357) and recorded the second-highest assists per game average in league history (9.2 APG). A six-time All-Defensive selection, Thomas is a unique defensive anchor who can guard multiple positions.
She averaged 1.6 steals per game and anchored a Mercury defense that reached the 2025 Finals. Teams like the Dallas Wings and the Seattle Storm use their max contract offer for the versatile star.
Sabrina Ionescu
One of the tricky parts for the New York Liberty will be deciding on a supermax contract between Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. Considering her impact on the defensive end, the 2024 champions will most likely go for the UConn megastar, leaving the popular guard up for grabs.
Sabrina Ionescu wins her second WNBA 3-Point contest 🏆
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 19, 2025
She becomes just the second player to win multiple times 👏 pic.twitter.com/gfLOhmuHEJ
The former top pick is among the most coveted unrestricted free agents for the 2026 WNBA season due to her unique combination of elite playmaking, historic shooting, and championship experience. Ionescu averaged 18.2 PPG in 2025. She is arguably the league’s most dangerous deep-range threat, famously drilling a nearly 30-foot buzzer-beater to win Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals.
It is important to note that Ionescu mentioned she would be staying with the Liberty side, but the departure of the coach, Sandy Brondello, would impact that decision, as the former Oregon star famously inquired about the Liberty’s new coach’s capability.
Jackie Young
The 28-year-old star is a top-tier target for 2026 WNBA free agency due to her status as a cornerstone of the Las Vegas Aces dynasty and her evolution into one of the league’s most complete two-way players. Entering her prime at age 28, she is coming off a 2025 season where she helped lead the Aces to their third championship in four years.
Apart from her championship experience, the player established herself as one of the best two-way wings in the league. In 2025, she averaged 16.5 PPG, 5.1 APG, and 4.5 RPG, showcasing her ability to score, create shots, and rebound at a high level.
The Notre Dame star transformed into a lethal perimeter threat. She maintained a 47.5% field goal percentage and a strong 35.9% from three-point range during the 2025 regular season. If the Aces can’t keep her in the 2026 free agency, she would be the top candidate for the Toronto Tempo, with Sandy Brondello looking to attract the best players from the top teams.
Nneka Ogwumike
The veteran forward would be a premier target for the 2026 WNBA free agency due to her remarkable consistency, leadership quality, and a “career-best” offensive evolution in 2025. Despite being 35, she remains one of the league’s most efficient and productive forwards, coming off a season where she led the Seattle Storm in both scoring and rebounding.
In 2025, she became the first player in WNBA history to surpass 7,000 career points while shooting at least 50% from the field. She ranked 4th in the league for field goals made per game (7.3) and recorded a career-high 803 total points for the season. The Seattle Storm star remains a top-tier defender, finishing the 2025 season 5th all-time in steals. She also led the league in points off turnovers (182 total).
Teams like Golden State Valkyries or Portland Fire would use her experience, leadership and also versatility using their max contract offer for the veteran forward.
Kahleah Copper
The 31-year-old is widely considered a premier target in the 2026 WNBA free agency due to her proven ability to perform on the biggest stages and her continued offensive evolution. After leading the Phoenix Mercury to the 2025 WNBA Finals alongside Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, she enters unrestricted free agency as a high-impact “two-way” wing.
Moreover, the Mercury star is one of the league’s most dynamic scorers, averaging 15.6 PPG during the 2025 regular season and increasing her output to 17.8 PPG during the Mercury’s 2025 Finals run. The 6-foot- 1 star has a decade-long league experience and multiple All-Star selections, which brings a “championship mindset” to any locker room. Teams like theChicago Sky have already been linked to her as a potential landing spot to mentor younger players like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.