Who’s Safe, Who’s Going? WNBA Expansion Mock Draft

Additional details have emerged in the ongoing WNBA CBA negotiations. Zena, Sabreena, and Ben unpack the latest proposals on the table—from revenue sharing and draft combine rules to housing stipends and player welfare—that could shape the league’s future. Next, we dive into our expansion mock draft, exploring how teams balance protecting young talent versus veterans, the challenges facing franchises like Minnesota and Las Vegas, and the impact of new coaching staffs and core designations on roster decisions. We close things out with our Spotify Wrapped list—you won’t want to miss it! No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 01:14 The sequence of events in the CBA process 01:59 Several new items were proposed for inclusion in the CBA 03:47 The broad issues involved in the CBA 07:30 How the salary structure was proposed and the issues surrounding it 10:13 WNBA’s proposal regarding housing 11:10 WNBA’s training-camp proposal 12:36 WNBA’s proposal to establish a draft combine 19:09 Initiatives proposed for team staffing and player care 26:52 Explaining the framework to the N/O expansion mock draft 29:41 The WNBAPA seeks to remove the core destination Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6857443/2025/12/03/wnba-cba-proposal-draft-combine-salary/ by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6838510/2025/12/03/wnba-expansion-draft-portland-toronto-expert-picks/ by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman We’re putting together a couple of mailbag episodes! Got thoughts or questions about the CBA? Curious about college hoops? Send them our way — we want to hear from you! Email us at NoOffseason@theathletic.com Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott and Cassius Flemming Thumbnail: Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS