With a new CBA ratified, the race to complete the WNBA’s intense offseason is on. The league has to complete two expansion drafts, the 2026 college draft, and preseason training, all within the next 43 days, before the start of the season on May 8th. First order of business: the expansion draft.

Both the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo are entering the league for this season, and they are currently running without any players. The expansion draft will take place on April 3rd. It will be a snake draft, with each team selecting players until they each gain 12 players on their roster. A coin flip took place on March 27, and the Tempo won. They chose to pick sixth in the WNBA entry draft, so Portland will select first in the expansion draft.

With the excitement surrounding the entry draft and the understanding that no team will look the same afterward, it is time to make predictions about which players each team will protect. Each of the 13 established WNBA teams will select five players to protect ahead of the expansion draft. The lists need to be submitted by Sunday, March 29. That’s not a lot of time to get those in.

Here are some predictions surrounding the protected player lists for each team.

Atlanta Dream

Protected Players:

With Britney Griner, Jordin Canada, and Brionna Jones ineligible for the expansion draft, Atlanta can protect even more players than other teams. The Dream has a solid veteran team, with a great rookie in Te-Hina Paopao.

Chicago Sky

Protected Players:

Angel Reese is the face of the Sky, and although she is signed through the 2027 season, they’ll want to make sure they can keep her around until then. The Sky could do a few things, but this seems the most likely. Chicago can keep young players while also keeping a veteran presence on the court.

Connecticut Sun

Protected Players:

The Connecticut Sun didn’t come in last place in the 2025 WNBA season, but they didn’t have a good record. Coming in 11th place, the Sun will want to shake up their roster, while also keeping a strong hold on their strong rookies.

Marina Mabrey adds a valuable veteran presence, and after her crazy performance in Unrivaled Philly, this proved even more how valuable she is as a player. Rivers, Edwards, Lacan and Morrow are all younger players whom the Sun can properly develop into key players for the team.

Dallas Wings

Protected Players:

There is no reason why the Wings would give up their first overall pick from the 2025 Entry Draft. Paige Bueckers was the star for Dallas, and although they came in last place, they have the first overall pick again, and the Wings are shaping up to have a lethal team heading into 2026.

With strong draft picks, Dallas is trying to build a young team. The other four players that would fill the Wings’ protected player list fit that bill.

Golden State Valkyries

Protected Players:

The Valkyries had an incredible run for their first season in the league. They became the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. They’ll look to run it back for the 2026 season.

They had great rookies in Leite and Chen and excellent veteran players in Burton, Thornton and Fagbenle. They’ll want to lock these players down before they potentially lose some of these key members of the team.

Indiana Fever

Protected Players:

Arguably, the face of the league, there is no chance the Fever will let go of Caitlin Clark. She missed a majority of the 2025 season due to groin injuries and a bone bruise. With Clark back to full health, Indiana will be itching to get her back on the court for the 2026 season.

The team will try to build around Clark and those who play well with her. Players like Hull and Boston will be at the top of their priority list to keep around. Cunningham and Mitchell are likely on that list, too.

Las Vegas Aces

Protected Players:

The 2025 champions will need to keep A’ja Wilson in their midst and will likely give her a huge contract once free agency begins. Securing their top player on their roster should be their number one priority. Building a team behind her is the second priority. Keeping these players will keep the four other starters, alongside Wilson. Jewel Loyd is ineligible for the draft, allowing for an additional slot to go to another player on the team. In this case, Kierstan Bell.

Los Angeles Sparks

Protected Players:

The Sparks is another team made up of incredible players, and locking down Plum and Hamby should be their priority. After that, it comes down to the younger players. Both Brink and Jackson were instrumental in the Sparks’ success last season, with an extra nod to Burrell.

Minnesota Lynx

Protected Players:

The Lynx feels self-explanatory. They won’t want to break up the duo of Williams and Heideman, while keeping the great players of Collier, McBride and Smith.

New York Liberty

Protected Players:

The Liberty made the playoffs in 2025, but they didn’t go nearly as far as they hoped. After falling to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round, New York did not get a chance to repeat their 2024 Championship.

Since Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones are ineligible for the expansion draft, that leaves two big names off the table, and two extra slots for the Liberty to protect players. They had a great core team in 2024 and will likely try to run it back. Cloud and Meeseeman were great additions to New York in 2025. They’ll be hunting for another title, and they’ll want to secure these players to do so.

Phoenix Mercury

Protected Players:

The Phoenix Mercury had a chance at the chip, but fell to the Las Vegas Aces in the finals. With another close chance at the trophy. The Mercury will want to keep their roster as close to the same as possible. Strong veterans in Sabally, Whitcomb and Thomas will provide valuable veteran experience, while Mack and Akoa Makani will be great young players to train up and develop.

Seattle Storm

Protected Players:

The Storm were the only team that didn’t lose a player in the 2025 WNBA expansion draft. With two teams partaking in one this season, the likelihood of this happening again is slim to none. The Storm have to lock down Dominique Malonga.

She was the second overall draft pick in the last entry draft, and when the Storm finally played her, she demonstrated why. She has the making to be a starter for Seattle this season, and they’ll want to keep her around.

Although she didn’t play a whole lot in the WNBA this season, Mackenzie Holmes is another rookie the Seattle will want to keep around.

Magbegor, Wheeler and Williams are all strong veterans that the team will want to keep around. Seattle also had a great playoff run, but they were also eliminated in the first round. With another high draft pick and strong players already on the team, the Storm will be aiming for another chance at the WNBA Championship.

Washington Mystics

Protected Players:

The Mystics have a great, young team. Citron, Iriafen and Amoore were all selected in the 2025 Draft, and they will continue to develop into the 2026 season. To maintain a strong team, Washington will need to have some veteran players to stay balanced. Austin and Sheldon are great considerations for a protected player slot.

These are all projections, and nothing is set in stone, but one thing is for certain: WNBA fans are about to experience a major shift in their teams’ rosters.