Historically, the WNBA trade deadline isn't a frenzy.
But with different stakes following a new collective bargaining agreement, and an expansion team shopping around in its inaugural season, the Aug. 2 deadline carries some unique intrigue.
The new minimum salary cap exception and the flexibility of having seven veteran contracts on a roster instead of six have given general managers more tools to work with as they consider deadline moves.
On Friday, the Toronto Tempo became the first WNBA expansion team to make a trade at the deadline in their inaugural season, acquiring forward Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick and the rights to Maria Kliundikova. In a corresponding move, the Tempo waived guard Tima Pouye.
Morrow fits the bill for what Toronto has been looking for defensively and on the glass. She has posted 8.9 rebounds per game this season, putting her ahead of the Tempo's top rebounder, Isabelle Harrison, who has averaged 6.4.
“She's a relentless competitor who impacts the game in so many ways, particularly with her ability to rebound at a high level. We believe she's one of the emerging frontcourt talents in this league, and we're excited to see her play in a Tempo uniform," general manager Monica Wright Rogers said about Morrow in a statement following the trade.
The Tempo are in an interesting cusp position. As they fall further and further out of playoff contention, there are still questions about what could have been possible had injuries not derailed an initially promising season.
The trade for Morrow might not be enough to save this season, but the 2025 seventh-overall pick fits the primary goal head coach Sandy Brondello expressed at the beginning of the season: building something from the ground up.
The move comes after earlier rumours about what first-time GM Wright Rogers might get up to at the deadline. Annie Costabile at The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Toronto had made offers to the Sun and the Los Angeles Sparks, shopping around a first-round pick in exchange for a young post player. However, both initial proposals were rejected, and as it turns out, Toronto didn't need to move a first-rounder to make something happen.
Who else could move across the league?
Just because the Sparks declined an offer from the Tempo doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for a deal. One of the most likely trade targets ahead of this weekend comes from their camp.
Kelsey Plum is on an expiring deal with a team that dealt a lot to get her and so far has seen very few positive results.
The five-time WNBA all-star was traded to Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 2025, in a blockbuster three-team trade from the Las Vegas Aces. The plan was to try to build up a contender, but after missing the playoffs in 2025 with a 21-23 record and already sitting three spots out of the playoffs in 2026 at 10-17, the jig is up. Even with the injuries Plum has dealt with, having missed 15 games this season, the Sparks should be better positioned through 27 games given the talent — Nneka Ogwumike, Ariel Atkins — that they acquired this off-season.
Plum is at risk of leaving in free agency when her one-year deal is up, and if the Sparks want to get anything back, now is the time to act.
Alanna Smith is another name to watch. After earning co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 and signing with the Wings in free agency, she has had little opportunity in Dallas.
Coming off the bench, she is averaging 3.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.4 blocks per game, way down from the 9.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks she averaged last season. Smith is in the first season of a three-year deal worth $3,748,500, and those numbers could prove the biggest hurdle in a trade. The Wings have positional overlap — a big reason why she isn’t getting minutes — and there are multiple teams that could use an upgrade on defence, but few teams with the space to make a deal work.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton of the New York Liberty is another target for teams seeking depth at forward, and she has a lot to offer beyond just her shoe-throwing ability.
The Liberty need to make a change that can reset their roster after losing six of their last 10 games and sinking to eighth in the overall standings. It may be time to move on from Laney-Hamilton, who’s on an expiring deal and has become a background character while working her way back from an injury-riddled 2025 season.
Buyers and sellers across the WNBA
The walls are closing in on the Indiana Fever, who must win now before getting stuck in a tough financial situation. With the changes under the new CBA, rookies who have earned All-WNBA honours can now sign a maximum deal in the fourth year of their rookie contract. The Fever will soon find themselves needing to give more money than they have space to, as Caitlin Clark will be eligible for this new contract in 2027.
At this deadline, the Fever are looking for more post presence and stronger defence. With Kelsey Mitchell and Clark, scoring isn’t an issue, but defence wins championships.
The Golden State Valkyries are in position to make the playoffs for a second year in a row, but to boost their run and advance past the first round, they’ll need to add more scoring. Plum could be a good target in this regard — before suffering her leg injury, she was the top scorer in the league and has averaged 23.9 points per game this season.
The Connecticut Sun are one of the only teams specifically poised as a seller. With a reset inevitable given the relocation to Houston next season, and a league-worst showing on the year so far, it is time for a rebuild, and moving a young player like Edwards could bring in valuable capital for a deep 2027 draft.
The Portland Fire, as the Tempo’s expansion cousin, didn’t come into this season aiming for the playoffs. Instead, their sights were set a few years in the future. As a result, the team didn’t fill out their cap space and has a little over $2 million left, making them a valuable resource in three-team deals as they could help take on some money in exchange for picks.
