A condensed WNBA offseason would hinder 2 teams more than most

Sports news wnba, WNBA Explained November 27, 2025

With mere days left until the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) extension with the players expires, there does not seem to be a resolution coming any time soon. The WNBA’s most recent offer to the Players’ Union leaked last week, and included max salaries around $1 million but lacked the robust revenue-sharing program the players desire.

In an update from ESPN, negotiations will continue over the Thanksgiving holiday and through the weekend in order to try and come to a resolution. Yet, with time ticking, it’s hard not to think about the ramifications of this holdout between the sides continuing beyond that.

While the sides can continue to negotiate past the deadline in what’s called “status quo” — everything stays the same as the current deal — not extending the deadline again could mean a work stoppage is looming. Even so, going beyond Nov. 30 will ultimately begin to shift timelines in free agency. This would affect current teams and players, of course, as teams try to build rosters while over 80% of the league are free agents. Yet, the two teams that may be affected most may just be the two teams that haven’t even played in the WNBA yet — Toronto and Portland.

Using last year’s expansion with the Golden State Valkyries as a template, the expansion draft was announced at the beginning of November, which has obviously come and gone this year with no announcement. Golden State was informed of the rules around the same time, per ESPN, had about a month to prepare for it, and were given the lists of protected players about a week and a half before. The draft itself occurred on Dec. 6 of 2024.

Through that timeline, we can assume that Toronto and Portland will also get a month to prepare, but a date for the expansion draft cannot be set until the new CBA is locked in. The rules of expansion drafts and free agency will be part of that contract, making it impossible to move forward while negotiations are still ongoing (or paused). Toronto and Portland will presumably learn of the rules, have a few weeks to prepare, and then have their expansion draft. Based on the last time there was a two-team expansion draft, the other 13 teams will likely be able to protect 5 players each. It’s unclear whether free agents will be included in those protections.

It will be a little more difficult to prep this year, given that there are two teams in the draft, plus the high number of free agents who could just sign with other teams even if they are chosen. Per ESPN, the expansion franchises say they are “working with more questions than answers.”

While Toronto and Portland should probably just bank on roster building through free agency and the official draft as opposed to the expansion draft, for these reasons, it still puts them at a disadvantage. First, it doesn’t seem likely that there will be much to pick from in the expansion draft, given the free agency market being so large and there being two expansion teams. Then they need to scout and prepare for free agency on top of that, knowing how wide the market will be with so many players available.

To top all of that off, Toronto and Portland don’t even know 100% where they will be drafting in the first round of April’s WNBA draft. The Draft Lottery broadcast said that the two teams will decide who picks No. 6 and No. 7 based on a coin flip “at a later date.” So, they can’t even scout for the draft with certainty.

The longer the CBA negotiations go, the more condensed this entire timeline becomes as well. The league is preparing for a scenario, per ESPN, in which the expansion draft, free agency, and WNBA draft all happen between the months of March and April — which is wild. Yet another aspect in which Toronto and Portland would be held to a disadvantage, given that they’d have more to do in such a short period of time. This would happen in an attempt to avoid delaying the start of the 2026 WNBA season, which cannot even be shifted due to the FIBA Women’s World Cup taking place in October. 2026 is already going to be a condensed WNBA season with a strict end date due to this.

Although it seems like there is a lot of time between now and the start of the 2026 WNBA season to figure this all out, it’s actually the opposite, and the two expansion teams have even more incentive than the rest to hope this all gets resolved sooner rather than later.

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Stranger Things Season 5 Breaks A Major Promise To Fans – SlashFilm

Victoria Beckham Pre-Fall 2026: The Artist’s Way

After putting up solid numbers for the New England Patriots last year — more on that in a moment — Diggs has signed with the Washington Commanders for the 2026 campaign. According to multiple sources, the veteran WR inked a one-year deal with the Commanders worth up to $12 million. It is something of a homecoming for Diggs, who played his high school football at Good Counsel in Olney and played his college football at Maryland.

With many readers entering fantasy draft season, the question is simple: What are the fantasy implications of Diggs signing with the Commanders?

After playing in just eight games during the 2024 season, as Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 while playing for the Houston Texans, he signed a three-year deal with the New England Patriots in May of 2025. Diggs appeared in all 17 regular-season games for New England, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in Foxborough. Diggs led the Patriots in targets with 102 — he was the only New England receiver with more than 90 targets — and also led the team in both receptions and receiving yardage.

How he was used in New England could be a window into his usage in Washington. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Kayshon Boutte saw the most downfield targets on the Patriots a year ago (21) followed by Mack Hollins with 16. (Pro Football Focus defines these targets as coming 20 yards or more downfield).

Where Diggs led the way was in the short and intermediate areas of the field, often on crossing routes. Again, turning to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Diggs led the Patriots with 77 targets in the short area of the field, defined as throws between the line of scrimmage and nine yards downfield. Hollins was second on the Patriots, with only 30 such targets.

Turning now to the Commanders, last year Deebo Samuel led the team in those targets with 26. But with Samuel now in San Francisco, Diggs will be tasked with working that area of the field, allowing Terry McLaurin to continue stretching defenses in the vertical passing game. That is where McLaurin is at his best, and if you look at his 2024 numbers (when playing with a healthy Jayden Daniels) McLaurin saw a staggering 32 deep targets that season, the most on the Commanders by far.

For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.

Another factor to consider is this: Washington’s new offensive coordinator. David Blough steps into the role, replacing Kliff Kingsbury. The expectation is that Blough will lean into the under-center, play-action passing game, a schematic tweak that will create opportunities for Diggs on those crossing routes underneath.

McLaurin will be Washington’s WR1, with Diggs slotting nicely into that WR2 role. He’ll see volume in this system — meaning he offers a nice boost in PPR formats — and while McLaurin could siphon the bulk of touchdowns (remember Diggs had only four a season ago) and Daniels could vulture some as well with his legs, there will be production to be gained by drafting Diggs in the later rounds as a WR3 with WR2 upside.

#Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means">

mwasimuddin125 0

Stefon Diggs finally has a home for the 2026 NFL season.

With many readers entering fantasy draft season, the question is simple: What are the fantasy implications of Diggs signing with the Commanders?

For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.

#Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means">Stefon Diggs fantasy football outlook: What Commanders signing means for 2026

Stefon Diggs finally has a home for the 2026 NFL season.

With many readers entering fantasy draft season, the question is simple: What are the fantasy implications of Diggs signing with the Commanders?

For context, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown tied for second with nine each.

#Stefon #Diggs #fantasy #football #outlook #Commanders #signing #means

Two former Iranian women footballers said Thursday they were “proud” to have been granted Australian citizenship after being branded traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game.

Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s delegation who asked for Australia’s protection following the high-profile protest during the women’s Asian Cup in March.

With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds and returned home.

Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh stayed, however, and were granted Australian citizenship at a ceremony on Wednesday overseen by interior minister Tony Burke.

“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen,” Ramezanisadeh said in a statement.

“After everything we’ve been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh added.

A week after seeking asylum, the pair was pictured smiling and training with Australian club Brisbane Roar, which on Wednesday congratulated the pair.

“What they have been through since February is more than most people deal with in a lifetime,” a spokesman for the club said.

“To see them arrive at this point is something everyone here at Brisbane Roar is glad to have had a small part in,” they added.

“Queensland is their home now. If they ever want to pull on a training top and come back out with us, the door will always stay open.”

ALSO READ: Iran women football players thank Australian government for protection

The plight of the rest of the team remains unclear since their return to Iran.

AFP reporters saw them cross into their homeland from Turkey on a bus wearing the national team tracksuits and with their hair covered.

Soon after, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the players and their support team were “children of the homeland and the people of Iran embrace them”.

By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies (of Iran) and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements”, he added.

Published on Aug 06, 2026

#Iranian #women #footballers #granted #Australian #citizenship">

mwasimuddin125 0

Two former Iranian women footballers said Thursday they were “proud” to have been granted Australian citizenship after being branded traitors at home for refusing to sing the national anthem before a game.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were members of a group of seven from Iran’s delegation who asked for Australia’s protection following the high-profile protest during the women’s Asian Cup in March.
With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds and returned home.
Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh stayed, however, and were granted Australian citizenship at a ceremony on Wednesday overseen by interior minister Tony Burke.
“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen,” Ramezanisadeh said in a statement.
“After everything we’ve been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh added.
A week after seeking asylum, the pair was pictured smiling and training with Australian club Brisbane Roar, which on Wednesday congratulated the pair.
“What they have been through since February is more than most people deal with in a lifetime,” a spokesman for the club said.
“To see them arrive at this point is something everyone here at Brisbane Roar is glad to have had a small part in,” they added.
“Queensland is their home now. If they ever want to pull on a training top and come back out with us, the door will always stay open.”
ALSO READ: Iran women football players thank Australian government for protection
The plight of the rest of the team remains unclear since their return to Iran.
AFP reporters saw them cross into their homeland from Turkey on a bus wearing the national team tracksuits and with their hair covered.
Soon after, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the players and their support team were “children of the homeland and the people of Iran embrace them”.
By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies (of Iran) and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements”, he added.
Published on Aug 06, 2026

#Iranian #women #footballers #granted #Australian #citizenship">Former Iranian women footballers granted Australian citizenship