The clock is ticking, but the silence is deafening. It is mid-December, a time when basketball fans usually have clarity on the upcoming season’s structure. Yet, the WNBA finds itself in a state of high-stakes limbo that is as thrilling as it is terrifying. With the December 6th deadline for the expansion draft having come and gone without a whisper, anxiety is rippling through fanbases from Chicago to the Bay Area.

But amidst the administrative delays and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) gridlock, one story is dominating the headlines and threatening to reshape the league entirely: The imminent departure of Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky.

The Angel Reese Earthquake

If you followed the Chicago Sky last season, the writing was already on the wall. The chemistry was fractured, the tension was palpable, and the “fit” simply wasn’t there. Now, insiders suggest that the inevitable is happening: Angel Reese wants out of Chicago.

However, the Sky front office is playing a strategic game of chess. Despite the internal friction, reports indicate that Chicago intends to place Reese on their “protected” list for the upcoming expansion draft. Why protect a player who wants to leave? The answer is simple: leverage. Chicago knows they cannot allow a generational talent and marketing powerhouse like Reese to walk away for nothing to an expansion team like the Toronto Tempo or Portland Fire. By protecting her, they retain her rights, allowing them to engineer a blockbuster trade that could bring a haul of assets in return.

This maneuver effectively puts Reese on the trading block, sparking wild speculation about her landing spot. Could we see a seismic shift in the league’s power balance? The mere possibility of Reese joining forces with another superstar—perhaps even in a shocking team-up narrative that fans can barely dare to whisper—has the internet in a frenzy.

Expansion Draft Panic: Who is Safe?

While the Reese drama unfolds, a broader crisis is hitting the rest of the league. The expansion draft is designed to populate new teams, but for existing franchises, it feels more like a robbery.

The Golden State Valkyries, fresh off a fairy-tale introduction to the league where they sold out the Chase Center and built a rabid fanbase overnight, are bracing for a harsh reality check. Because the league rules only allow them to protect five players, they are poised to lose core contributors who helped build their identity. Names like Kate Martin, a rookie sensation and top-five jersey seller, and veteran leader Monique Billings are potentially left exposed. For Valkyries fans, this is a bitter pill to swallow—watching the team they fell in love with get dismantled before it even truly begins its second chapter.

Similarly, in Indiana, the Fever are navigating a minefield. While superstars Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell are locked down, fan favorites like Sophie Cunningham appear on the unprotected list. But here, the logic is financial. Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent; protecting her would be a waste of a slot unless she was already signed to a core deal. It’s a gamble, counting on the fact that expansion teams might not want to use a precious pick on a free agent who could simply refuse to sign.

The Million-Dollar Question

Underlying all this roster chaos is the tectonic shift of the new CBA negotiations. We are witnessing the birth of a new economic reality in women’s basketball.

The proposed salary hikes are nothing short of revolutionary. The current maximum salary of roughly $220,000 is set to become the new minimum. Average salaries could jump to half a million dollars, with “Supermax” players potentially earning over $1 million annually.

This changes everything. Role players who have scraped by on five-figure salaries will suddenly be chasing life-changing wealth. Veterans will prioritize paychecks over loyalty—and rightfully so. This influx of money means that roster turnover will be higher than ever before. Teams will have to make brutal cuts simply to stay under the cap, and the idea of a “franchise player” staying in one city for a decade may become a relic of the past.

The Caitlin Clark Effect

It is impossible to ignore the catalyst for this explosive growth. The “Caitlin Clark Effect” has rippled through every corner of the league. Attendance records have shattered, TV ratings have tripled, and merchandise sales are through the roof. This surge in visibility and revenue is exactly what gave Toronto and Portland the confidence to sell out their season tickets before playing a single game.

However, this success brings pressure. The league must now manage this growth competently. The delay in the CBA and the expansion draft is a worrying sign that the administrative side of the WNBA is struggling to keep pace with its on-court popularity.

What Comes Next?

As we wait for the ink to dry on the new CBA, one thing is certain: the WNBA of 2025 will look dramatically different from the WNBA of 2024.

Dallas seems ready to move on from Arike Ogunbowale to build around a potential Paige Bueckers draft pick. Chicago is preparing for life after Angel Reese. Golden State is preparing for heartbreak. And somewhere in the offices of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, executives are waiting to pick the bones of the league’s best rosters.

The offseason is usually a time for rest, but this year, it is a battlefield. Buckle up, WNBA fans. The game has changed, and the drama is just getting started.