What was behind Golden State Valkyries’ strange trade that sent Flau’jae Johnson to Seattle?

Rules for the 2026 WNBA draft required picks to be traded before 5 p.m. (ET) on April 12, the evening before the draft. After that, exercised picks — selections that have already been made — could be traded during the draft. The latter was the scenario used by Nyanin and Storm GM Talisa Rhea.

In this scenario, teams are permitted to have advance discussions that establish they are selecting on behalf of the other with the intention to trade.

Rhea said on draft night that the Storm had been in conversations seeking an opportunity to move up in the draft for a player who could have an immediate impact. She admittedly didn’t believe Johnson would be available at No. 8.

The move by Nyanin drew increasing scrutiny following her decision to waive Suarez, essentially giving away the No. 8 pick for a 2028 second-round pick. During Valkyries’ media day on Tuesday, Nyanin addressed the questionable draft night moves once again, this time explaining it was done in an effort to maintain “cap flexibility” and an opportunity “to potentially sign another athlete.” On her decision to waive Suarez, Nyanin said it was “part of understanding the new CBA. There are a lot of things we need to take into consideration when it comes to the status of an athlete, their years of experience, etcetera.”

Suarez has since signed a developmental contract with the Phoenix Mercury.

The No. 8 pick hits the cap at $309,622. Every pick in the second round and beyond hits the cap at $270,000, equating to a $39,622 salary differential between Johnson and Suarez. But if saving on cap space was Nyanin’s motivation in the immediate, why not trade for a future first-round pick?

Nyanin said she discussed trade options with “different teams” to determine what best served the Valkyries’ needs. However, she didn’t canvas the entire league for the best trade option, as multiple team sources told The Athletic that they never received a call gauging their interest in the pick.

The Valkyries are operating with a five-year championship timeline in mind, as implemented by owner Joe Lacob. This, Nyanin said Tuesday, is influencing all of her decisions. When it comes to players she’s targeting, age isn’t a determining factor as much as experience and fit within coach Natalie Nakase’s system.

Last season, the Valkyries made history as the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs in Year 1, and Nyanin was heralded for her job constructing the 2025 roster. This year, Golden State faces pressure not only to repeat that success, but also to build upon it.

While sources around the league have expressed confusion over Nyanin’s trade strategy, as some wonder if it was a judgment error, it doesn’t appear the Valkyries will feel an immediate loss of this first-round pick, considering the way their roster came together.

Nyanin re-signed 2025 most improved player Veronica Burton to a multi-year deal and veteran guard Tiffany Hayes through the 2026 season. Justė Jocytė — the Valkyries’ No. 5 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft — is also expected to make her WNBA debut after opting to miss last season in favor of EuroBasket. She helped lead Lithuania to the quarterfinals and was named the first FIBA Women’s EuroBasket rising star. Only three players on the Valkyries 12-player roster have less than three years of experience: Kaitlyn Chen (1 YOS), Janelle Salaün (1 YOS) and Jocytė (rookie). Nyanin also signed veteran center and WNBA champion Kiah Stokes to a multiyear deal.

But the biggest coup of all for Nyanin was signing two-time All-Defense team member Gabby Williams to a multi-year deal after she spent four seasons with the Storm.

Whether this trade hurts the Valkyries in the future depends on Johnson’s development and if Nyanin succeeds at bringing the Bay a championship in the next four years.

Seattle’s present is in many ways the antithesis of Nyanin’s intentions for the Valkyries. Rhea was promoted to general manager of the team in 2021 after she served as the assistant for two seasons. In the fall, the organization carried out a complete overhaul of the coaching staff and subsequently tapped former New York Liberty assistant Sonia Raman for her first head coach opportunity.

But after losing their four leading scorers in free agency, the Storm’s plan shifted from title contention to rebuilding around Dominique Malonga, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Johnson’s role in the Storm’s rebuild is as much about having an immediate impact as it is about her long-term development being critical to the organization’s future title hopes.

“We’re really excited about how she aligns,” Rhea said. “And helps us this year but is also going to be a really important piece for us as we’re building for the future.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Seattle Storm, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA

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