September 30, 2024
Expansion draft for Golden State Valkyries set for Dec. 6
The last time the WNBA had an expansion draft was in 2008, when the Atlanta Dream entered the league
On Monday, the WNBA announced that the league will have its first expansion draft in 16 years for the Golden State Valkyries to fill their inaugural roster spots. The draft will take place on Friday, Dec. 6 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The Valkyries will have the opportunity to select from a designated pool of players from the other 12 teams. Here’s a look at how the process works:
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Teams will designate a maximum of six protected players
Once the 2024 WNBA season comes to an end, each of the existing teams will be able to protect a maximum of six players that the Valkyries are not able to select from. Teams will submit roster lists that include which players the franchise has rights to on the final day of the 2024 regular season. This is expected to be approximately 10 days prior to the date of the expansion draft.
Golden State can choose one player from each team
The Valkyries will be able to acquire the contract or rights to one available player from each of the 12 WNBA teams. They’ll also be able to select players in the draft without obeying the league’s salary cap. However, the new franchise must be below the cap when the player contract signing period begins in February.
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Unrestricted free agents not selected in expansion draft can be signed by any team
Golden State will only be able to select one player in the expansion draft that is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2024 season, as long as the player has not previously played with a core player contract for two or more seasons. Said player would be able to be the Valkyries new core player in January.
Once the draft is complete, any unrestricted free agents not selected and not designated as a core player by their current team can be signed by any team as well as the Valkyries when the free agency period opens.
The Valkyries will be permitted to make trades
The Valkyries will be able to make trades with the existing 12 teams between the submission of teams official roster lists and the day and time of the expansion draft. This includes “an agreement to select a particular player from the list of Available Expansion Draft players, and trade that player to a team other than their existing team; and an agreement to select (or not select) a particular player from such trading team’s list of Available Expansion Draft players,” the league explains.
The last time the WNBA had an expansion draft was in 2008, when the Atlanta Dream entered the league. The Valkyries will tip off their inaugural season in 2025 and already have more than 17,500 season ticket deposits.
