So far, the new WNBA CBA has resulted in team-building chaos over consensus

Yahoo Sports5h ago10 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The new WNBA CBA has led to significant salary increases for players, but also created team-building challenges as franchises navigate a hard salary cap. Teams are approaching roster construction with varying levels of aggression, resulting in some surprising contract decisions.

Key points

New WNBA CBA leads to significant salary increases for players
Teams allowed to spend $7 million on rosters in 2026
Dallas Wings aggressively signing players like Alanna Smith
Confusion over 'million-dollar player' status among teams
Hard salary cap complicates team-building strategies

Dallas WingsMinnesota Lynx

Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller. | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It’s easy to see that all the negotiation and consternation required for the WNBA and WNBPA to agree to a new CBA was worth it. Peruse Her Hoop Stats’ handy team salary cap sheets, and the jump in player salaries from the 2025 season to the 2026 season is incredible. Simply, WNBA getting paid what they deserve is the most significant aspect of the deal.

Our chart of 2026 Salary vs 2025 Stats is getting interesting with so many signings in place! Explore it at , choose the stat you want to plot. pic.twitter.com/F1PEAffvTn

— Her Hoop Stats (@herhoopstats) April 15, 2026 However, those big salaries come with other ramifications, especially in a league that still operates under at hard salary cap. Thus far, the WNBA offseason has provided more questions than clarity about the realities of the new CBA, as organizations have approached team building—from handing out contracts to free agents to executing trades to filling out their roster—with differing levels of aggression, caution and vision. Let’s dig deeper into two emerging offseason team-building trends that reflect the unsettled “new normal” under the new WNBA CBA.

It’s unclear who is, and should be, a “million-dollar player” under the new WNBA CBA

With each WNBA team permitted to spend $7 million on their roster in 2026, not *every* player can score a million-dollar contract. To build the best team possible, teams must determine how much of their cap space they’re willing to devote to a player, and whether it’s worth deviating from that number to sign the player or risk that player inking a more lucrative contract with a different team. From the outside, it looks like some team were ready to outlay whatever funds were necessary to get a player to sign on the bottom line; other teams practiced patience. This gap in aggressiveness resulted in some confusing salary numbers, with players who have never approached an All-Star team signing deals that exceed those of their more accomplished peers. To be clear, all credit to the players, and their agents, who secured themselves the biggest pay day possible. But, a player’s reward can become a team’s regret. Ideally, a team (as well as most fans) wants a player to outperform her contract; that usually produces more wins. Banking on a player attaining a new level of impact under a contract that exceeds her prior level of production is a huge risk that can bust a team’s salary cap sheet. So far, the team that has most eagerly rolled the dice on new deals is the Dallas Wings, plundering the Minnesota Lynx by signing Alanna Smith to a regular-max contract that starts at $1.2 million and Jessica Shepard to a deal that begins at $1 million.

Q&A

What are the key changes in player salaries under the new WNBA CBA?

The new CBA has resulted in a significant jump in player salaries, with teams allowed to spend up to $7 million on their rosters for the 2026 season.

Which teams are making the most aggressive moves in the WNBA offseason?

The Dallas Wings have been notably aggressive, signing players like Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard to lucrative contracts.

How are teams determining who qualifies as a 'million-dollar player' in the WNBA?

Teams are assessing how much of their salary cap to allocate to players, leading to confusion over contracts for players with varying levels of past performance.

What are the implications of the new salary cap on team building in the WNBA?

The hard salary cap complicates roster construction, as teams must balance aggressive signings with the risk of overpaying players who may not meet performance expectations.