There’s fairly a little bit of uncertainty surrounding the WNBA heading into 2026.
We now have no clear indication if the league and participant’s affiliation will be capable of keep away from a lockout and finalize a brand new collective bargaining settlement. And even in the event you’re optimistic on the 2 sides ratifying a deal, we nonetheless have to attend and see particulars on in-season participant housing, wage, a possible 2026 common season begin date and rather more.
However a couple of issues are fairly clear regarding the Liberty.
EXPECT MORE COACHING HIRES UNDER DEMARCO
The group formally launched new head coach Chris DeMarco in December after a two-month search following Sandy Brondello’s firing.
The workforce, although, nonetheless has holes to fill.
Brondello’s husband, Olaf Lange, targeted on defensive technique and departed along with his spouse. Information-driven offensive thoughts Sonia Raman left her position as an assistant and have become the primary particular person of Indian descent to be head coach after agreeing to the position with the Seattle Storm.
Assistant Zach O’Brien additionally left New York and moved out west for an assistant teaching position with the Los Angeles Sparks.
These are three huge voids to fill, and people hires ought to form the course beneath a brand new DeMarco period in New York.
“We’re trying to identify the right people,” DeMarco mentioned after his introductory press convention in December. “They’re going to fit our culture and fit what we’re looking for. So it’s going to be a slower process. Again, I start full time Jan. 1. But yeah, definitely have some names in mind, and I’ve had people on staff I’ve worked with in the past that I really like and that they can really contribute.”
EXPECT NO BIG MOVES IN DRAFT
Liberty followers probably don’t want to connect their eyeballs to televisions in the course of the 2026 WNBA Draft — if it even occurs.
The workforce at present owns only a third-round decide (forty first general) going into a possible spring draft.
A decide at that stage of the draft probably might be for a participant who might be stashed abroad and may have a chance to take part in coaching camp years down the road.
Final 12 months, the Liberty’s lone decide — third-round choice Adja Kane — spent her season abroad.
GM KOLB EXPECTS TRIO TO RETURN
Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich are the one Liberty gamers beneath contract for the 2026 season. Each different participant that participated within the 2025 WNBA season is both an unrestricted free agent or a reserved free agent.
Beneath the earlier CBA, a reserve participant is anybody with three years of service or fewer who’s topic to their franchise’s unique negotiating rights if the workforce extends them a reserved qualifying supply.
Primarily, nearly the whole roster might return or spurn the Liberty in free company.
However, Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb expects these three unrestricted free brokers to re-sign: Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.
The GM made that identified in September days after the workforce’s early postseason exit.
“I have the utmost confidence that they want to be back with us,” Kolb mentioned on Sept. 25.
Stewart made it clear she plans on working it again simply minutes after the Mercury eradicated her workforce in Sport 3 of the first-round playoff sequence. Ionescu, who sat subsequent to Stewart on the postgame podium, locked eyes with Stewart and nodded in settlement.
Jones, who wasn’t one of many two designated gamers current on the Sport 3 postgame podium, hasn’t made any public indication of leaving New York in free company.
