MIAMI — Brittney Griner is testing the free agent market for the first time in her career.
The All-Star center will hold meetings with multiple teams starting Tuesday, according to her agent. WNBA executives were in Miami for Unrivaled’s opening night to talk with Griner and other free agents.
Griner has been a free agent before, but has been under contract with the Phoenix Mercury since she was first drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 1 overall pick in 2013.
“I want to show off my skills in free agency,” Griner said of playing in a new league that appears to be dominated more by guards and wings than post players.
The Unrivaled have some top unrestricted free agents, such as Griner and Courtney Vandersloot, as well as a few players who will likely play for other teams next season despite being given the franchise tag by their current WNBA team.
“There’s a ton of free agency here,” New York Liberty star Brianna Stewart said. “It’s like a one-stop shop for everything.”
The new league provides a unique opportunity for free agents to develop relationships on and off the court with some of the star players on potential destination teams.
“There will definitely be conversations. Everybody’s going to say ‘Hey, do you want to come here and play?'” said Vandersloot, who has held meetings with multiple teams this week. “I think it’s great. You know, it gives you a chance to get really honest feedback about the team and say, who wants to play with each other? We’re at a point in the league where there’s going to be a ton of Players move.”
Coffee and dinner had been purchased, and conversations among the 36 players were ongoing. Vandersloot joked that buying her a pack of IPA would be a great recruiting pitch.
“I’m an IPA drinker, so I guess that’s not a requirement. But listen, if you show up with a pack of IPAs, you might get a head start,” she said with a laugh.
Some potential stars on Unrivaled who could change the team include Satou Sabally, Jewell Loyd and Alyssa Thomas. Sabally and Thomas were both franchise-tagged by their WNBA teams, so the only way for them to change teams was through trades.
Sabally said she does not plan to return to Dallas to play for the Wings next season. Loyd is not a free agent but has requested a trade from the Storm.
“This is the best place to recruit free agents,” Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Crowder said. “At the end of the day, I’m a person who is in the best interest of Sato moving forward – that’s what I expect from Sato.”
Negotiations will officially begin on Tuesday, with players able to sign contracts starting on February 1. The new CBA is expected to take effect in 2026 and will have a huge impact on wages, with most players only signing one-year contracts.
The Connecticut Sun and expansion Golden State Warriors have the most cap space to sign free agents this season. The Suns could lose much of their starting lineup to free agency, with Devana Bonner, Briona Jones and Thomas all likely to leave.
“There’s a lot to think about, a lot to process,” Thomas said. “But I will weigh all my decisions.”
Diana Taurasi is a free agent who does not play for Unrivaled. The WNBA’s all-time scoring leader is still weighing whether to retire or come back for another season.
