WNBA Trade Deadline Shocker: Who Came Out on Top and Who Got Burned?

AdvertisementJackie Powell: Diamond Miller is going to get a huge opportunity to play minutes on a Dallas team that has a lot of young talent. Miller has been through the ringer when it came to injuries, missing around half of her sophomore season in 2024. But another challenge Miller had to endure playing for the Lynx was her playing time. She lost her starting role to the more experienced Bridget Carlton after she had begun her WNBA career averaging over 12 points per game during her rookie season in 2023.While this year’s deadline resulted in four different trades, including one that came in late June, it still didn’t match the typical excitement that often comes on deadline day in the NBA or MLB. This could change as soon as next season. The current iteration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on October 31 and a well-reported goal of the players association is to bargain for a softer salary cap.Advertisement

Which player should benefit the most from their change of scenery?

Between the Lynx and the Storm, who improves more as a result of the moves they made at the deadline?

This season, however, trades were much more intentional with clear buyers and sellers. Franchises like the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics embraced their roles as sellers stacking their assets for the future, especially leading up to a 2026 free agency period where around 80 percent of the WNBA will be unrestricted free agents.