Sabrina Ionescu, Napheesa Collier, and Courtney Plum have been issued franchise tags, signaling their immediate retention by teams. This move, offering up to $1.4 million for a one-year period, effectively prevents these key players from exploring offers from other franchises as WNBA free agency officially commenced. The designation period, allowing teams to extend such offers, began on Monday.
The emergence of expansion franchises, specifically Portland and Toronto, utilizing these franchise tags underscores a significant strategic shift. These new entrants appear intent on immediately securing established talent. Beyond franchise tags, teams also had the window to extend reserved and restricted qualifying offers to other players.
Negotiations concerning these tagged players are slated to occur between Wednesday and Friday. Players will be eligible to formally sign new contracts starting Saturday. The league's preseason is set to kick off with training camps opening on April 19, followed by the first exhibition games on April 25.
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The franchise tag is presented as a new mechanism within the WNBA. Its stated purpose is to grant teams the power to secure their most valuable assets, thereby inhibiting their departure during the free agency period. This tool is framed as a crucial element for franchises aiming to build competitive rosters and contend for championships by retaining their "superstars."
The WNBA Draft is also scheduled for mid-April, a timeframe that closely follows the opening of the free agency period.
