One of the biggest names on the WNBA free agent front has reportedly narrowed her list down to 4 teams.
Former MVP Breanna Stewart is set to meet with the Seattle Storm, New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, and Washington Mystics when the WNBA’s free agency period begins tonight at midnight.
Stewart, who is currently playing overseas for Fenerbahce in Turkey, will take the meetings in Istanbul.
The UConn alum is rumoured to be paying close attention to the final decision of impending free agent Courtney Vandersloot who spent last season with the Chicago Sky. Vandersloot is expected to enter into negotiations with the Sky, Lynx, Liberty and Storm this weekend as well.
Earlier this week New York cleared cap space, while simultaneously bolstering their roster in a 3 team deal that landed them Jonquel Jones. The club is hoping that a potential “Big 3” of Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Stewart would be enough to push them over the top in their bid for a WNBA title.
Stewart has spent her entire 6 year WNBA career with the Seattle Storm where she’s averaged 20.3pts/1.5blks/8.6reb/2.9ast per game. Those close to the 28 year old forward have indicated that she maintains a sense of loyalty towards the only club she’s ever played for.
However with Sue Bird’s recent retirement, and the club’s roster currently in flux, that loyalty may be trumped by her desire to compete for a title in 2023. This has led many to speculate that if Stewart were to return to Seattle, it would be as part of a “package deal” with Vandersloot.
If the club were unable to land both stars, insiders believe the 6’4” power forward could begin looking elsewhere in free agency. Enter, the Liberty.
Stewart is a North Syracuse native, who spent her college days just outside the city at the University of Connecticut winning 4x NCAA titles in the process. With a core of Ionescu and Jones, and ample cap space, New York is hoping a “homecoming” is in the cards this offseason for the 2x WNBA champion.
Whichever direction she ultimately opts to head in, the club that lands Stewart for 2023 will instantly become a title contender. While there are other notable free agents still on the search for a new home this season, Stewart’s decision will be the first domino to fall in what should be a busy free agency period across the league.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Susan Lesch. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.