The Golden State Valkyries held their championship parade on Wednesday, officially wrapping up anything to do with the 2026 WNBA season. Free agency is still ways away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look at which players are available in free agency and could be on the move. 

Changing teams is more difficult for restricted free agents than for unrestricted free agents, like Napheesa Collier and Kelsey Mitchell. Restricted free agents can negotiate an offer sheet with any team, but their previous team has the right to match that offer and retain them. For example, Shakira Austin signed a max offer sheet with the Toronto Tempo last offseason, but the Washington Mystics matched it to keep her on the roster.

However, teams have to actually send Restricted Qualifying Offers to players to confirm their status as restricted free agents. If they don’t do that, any player who was previously set to enter restricted free agency becomes an unrestricted free agent. 

Cecilia Zandalasini, Golden State Valkyries

Cecilia Zandalasini started 34 games for the number-two seed this season. In the finals, Natalie Nakase moved her to the bench, and Zandalasini responded with some strong scoring games. The 30-year-old is a tough shot-maker with plenty of experience in the WNBA and overseas. She would be a valuable addition for many different teams. 

Awak Kuier, Dallas Wings

Awak Kuier is still one of the more unproven players in the W. She returned to the league after a two-year hiatus as a much improved player, averaging career highs all across the board with 6.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1.8 blocks per game. She is still only 25 years old, and her athleticism and size make her one of the most fascinating development projects in the WNBA. Considering their defensive limitations, the Wings should be desperate to re-sign Kuier unless another team is willing to massively overpay her. 

Rae Burrell, Los Angeles Sparks

Rae Burrell’s breakout season was one of the few bright spots for the Sparks this year. The 26-year-old earned a starting role for the first time in her career and doubled her scoring average from last season. Burrell is an athletic, long wing with tons of upside as a scorer. Letting her go in restricted free agency would be a big mistake by the Sparks. 

Emily Engstler, Portland Fire

Emily Engstler’s career got off to a slow start. She played for three different teams in four years, always struggling to be a constant in the rotation. Then, the Portland Fire selected her in the expansion draft, and she became a full-time starter. She rewarded the Fire’s trust with a career season and big defensive contributions. She was one of just seven players to average at least one steal and one block per game. 

Marine Johannes, New York Liberty

Marine Johannes’s biggest asset is her 3-point shooting. She can hit wild shots like they are layups and can catch fire within seconds. She hasn’t been great in the playoffs so far in her WNBA career, but any team looking for some extra bench scoring should see what it would take to get Johannes out of New York. 

Nyara Sabally, Toronto Tempo 

Nyara Sabally’s biggest problem is that she can never stay healthy. She has played more than 26 games only once in her career so far, and she also missed significant time with the Tempo this season. When healthy, Sabally is a pretty good player, though. She should have at least a few options in free agency. 

Rebekah Gardner, New York Liberty 

Rebekah Gardner may not be much of a scorer, averaging just 5.6 points per game for her four seasons in the W, but she is an excellent perimeter defender. Gardner could be a great add for any team looking for someone who can come off the bench and put the other team’s best guard in hell for a few minutes every game. 

Li Yueru, Dallas Wings

Li Yueru didn’t play much for the Wings this season, averaging just 10.3 minutes per game. She only got on the court in one of the Wings’ three playoff games. Nevertheless, Yueru could be an interesting target for any team in need of some backup size. You can’t teach 6’7”, and the 27-year-old is a solid 3-point shooter for someone of her size. She shot 36.4% from deep in the 2025 season. 

Jade Melbourne, Seattle Storm

Jade Melbourne already has four WNBA seasons under her belt, but she’s still only 24. This season was by far her best. She averaged 9.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. That’s pretty good production for a third-round pick. The Storm will probably want to keep her around to develop alongside Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam, and Flau’jae Johnson, but she could also be a good addition for any other team looking for a young guard. 

Laeticia Amihere, Golden State Valkyries

Laeticia Amihere was largely out of Natalie Nakase’s rotation in the playoffs. She didn’t see the court at all as the Valkyries swept the Las Vegas Aces. In the finals, Nakase needed someone other than Kiah Stokes who could match Angel Reese’s size, athleticism, and energy, so she gave Amihere a chance. The 25-year-old responded with 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in just 14 minutes of action. She also grabbed 10 rebounds in Game 6. Amihere would be a cheap low-risk, high-reward option for any team looking to add athleticism and rim protection to its frontcourt.