The Las Vegas Aces have officially re-signed Liz Cambage, and with that the major business of 2021 WNBA free agency is basically in the books. Emma Meesseman is the only big name left unsigned, but her future won't be determined until later this summer after international competition is complete. Overall, this has been one of the most interesting and exciting offseasons in league history, and sets up what should be a fascinating 25th anniversary season this summer.
Four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird rejoined the reigning champion Seattle Storm, while three-time champion Diana Taurasi is staying with the Phoenix Mercury. Also, former MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Candace Parker has joined the Chicago Sky after spending the first 13 seasons of her career with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Lynx are adding Kayla McBride, Aerial Powers and Natalie Achonwa in an impressive statement of their intent for the season. The Aces, meanwhile, responded to losing McBride by acquiring Chelsea Gray, and the Mystics bounced back from Powers' departure by landing Alysha Clark.
If that wasn't enough, the Storm signed seven-time All-Star Candice Dupree, then swung a pair of sign-and-trade deals with the New York Liberty that sent Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb to the Big Apple.
As the free agency continues, here's a breakdown of everything you need to know about this crucial period.
When does it start?
Teams can start negotiating with players on Friday, Jan. 15, but like the NBA, the WNBA has a moratorium period. This means that no contracts can be officially signed until Feb. 1.
How does WNBA free agency work?
For the most part, it works just like it does in the NBA. Once free agency officially begins, teams can negotiate with players, and there are certain classifications that players fall into. There are unrestricted free agents, who are allowed to talk with and sign with any team, and restricted free agents, whose prior team has the ability to match any contract offer.
Another group is called reserved players. These are players who have played three or fewer seasons, and their prior team has exclusive negotiating rights. Often these are veterans who came into the WNBA later in their career, but they can also be younger players who either went undrafted or for whatever reason were not on a typical rookie-scale contract.
Furthermore, the WNBA has a special designation called "core players," which operates similar to a franchise tag in the NFL, and gives teams exclusive negotiating rights with the player. Teams often use this on star players, but they must be strategic in doing so, as a player can only be "cored" three times in their career.
2021 Free Agents
Here's a look at every player hitting free agency this winter, separated by classification.
Core players
These three stars were immediately cored by their current team in order to secure exclusive negotiating rights. Other players could be added to this category, but for now, these are the only three who have received the core designation.
| Player | Prior team | New team | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Liz Cambage | Las Vegas Aces | Las Vegas Aces | C | Signed |
Natasha Howard | Seattle Storm | New York Liberty | F/C | Signed |
Nneka Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks | Los Angeles Sparks | F/C | Signed |
Unrestricted free agents
| Player | Current team | New team | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Natalie Achonwa | Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx | C | Signed |
Kayla Alexander | Minnesota Lynx | C | Unsigned | |
Seimone Augustus | Los Angeles Sparks | Los Angeles Sparks | G/F | Signed |
Sue Bird | Seattle Storm | Seattle Storm | G | Signed |
Jessica Breland | Phoenix Mercury | Indiana Fever | F | Signed |
Cierra Burdick | Las Vegas Aces | F | Unsigned | |
Essence Carson | Connecticut Sun | G/F | Unsigned | |
Tina Charles | Washington Mystics | Washington Mystics | F | Signed |
Alysha Clark | Seattle Storm | Washington Mystics | F | Signed |
Alaina Coates | Washington Mystics | C | Unsigned | |
Sydney Colson | Chicago Sky | G | Unsigned | |
Candice Dupree | Indiana Fever | Seattle Storm | F | Signed |
Jamierra Faulkner | Chicago Sky | G | Unsigned | |
Chelsea Gray | Los Angeles Sparks | Las Vegas Aces | G | Signed |
Reshanda Gray | Los Angeles Sparks | F | Unsigned | |
Tiana Hawkins | Washington Mystics | Atlanta Dream | C | Signed |
Bria Holmes | Connecticut Sun | Los Angeles Sparks | F | Signed |
Alisia Jenkins | Phoenix Mercury | F | Unsigned | |
Glory Johnson | Atlanta Dream | F | Unsigned | |
Shenise Johnson | Minnesota Lynx | G/F | Unsigned | |
Betnijah Laney | Atlanta Dream | New York Liberty | G/F | Signed |
Jantel Lavender | Indiana Fever | Indiana Fever | F | Signed |
Kayla McBride | Las Vegas Aces | Minnesota Lynx | G | Signed |
Emma Meesseman | Washington Mystics | F | Unsigned | |
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis | Connecticut Sun | G | Unsigned | |
Candace Parker | Los Angeles Sparks | Chicago Sky | F | Signed |
Cheyenne Parker | Chicago Sky | Atlanta Dream | F/C | Signed |
Theresa Plaisance | Connecticut Sun | Washington Mystics | F/C | Signed |
Aerial Powers | Washington Mystics | Minnesota Lynx | G/F | Signed |
Epiphanny Prince | Seattle Storm | Seattle Storm | G | Signed |
Danielle Robinson | Las Vegas Aces | Indiana Fever | G | Signed |
Sugar Rodgers | Las Vegas Aces | G | Unsigned | |
Kamiah Smalls | Indiana Fever | Connecticut Sun | G | Signed |
Carolyn Swords | Las Vegas Aces | C | Unsigned | |
Diana Taurasi | Phoenix Mercury | Phoenix Mercury | G | Signed |
Alyssa Thomas | Connecticut Sun | Connecticut Sun | F | Signed |
Jasmine Thomas | Connecticut Sun | Connecticut Sun | G | Signed |
Kia Vaughn | Phoenix Mercury | Phoenix Mercury | F/C | Signed |
Erica Wheeler | Indiana Fever | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Signed |
Riquna Williams | Los Angeles Sparks | Las Vegas Aces | G | Signed |
Amanda Zahui B. | New York Liberty | Los Angeles Sparks | C | Signed |
Restricted free agents
| Player | Current team | New team | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Kaela Davis | Atlanta Dream | Atlanta Dream | F | Signed |
Blake Dietrick | Atlanta Dream | G | Unsigned | |
Brionna Jones | Connecticut Sun | Connecticut Sun | C | Signed |
Allisha Gray | Dallas Wings | Dallas Wings | G | Signed |
Brittney Sykes | Los Angeles Sparks | Los Angeles Sparks | G | Signed |
Erica McCall | Minnesota Lynx | Washington Mystics | F | Signed |
Nia Coffey | Phoenix Mercury | Los Angeles Sparks | F | Signed |
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | Phoenix Mercury | Atlanta Dream | G | Signed |
Sami Whitcomb | Seattle Storm | New York Liberty | G | Signed |
Reserved players
| Player | Current team | New team | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaylen Agnew | Atlanta Dream | F | Unsigned | |
Alexis Prince | Chicago Sky | G | Unsigned | |
Marianna Tolo | Los Angeles Sparks | C | Unsigned | |
Anna Cruz | Minnesota Lynx | G | Unsigned | |
Temi Fagbenle | Minnesota Lynx | Indiana Fever | C | Rights traded, still unsigned |
Paris Kea | New York Liberty | G | Unsigned | |
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe | New York Liberty | N/A | F | Sitting out 2021 season |
Joyner Holmes | New York Liberty | New York Liberty | C | Signed |
Angel Robinson | Phoenix Mercury | C | Unsigned | |
Sonja Petrovic | Phoenix Mercury | F | Unsigned | |
Marta Xargay | Phoenix Mercury | G | Unsigned |
With that, the action is officially underway.
CBS Sports will continue updating this page with every new move that happens.
