2019 WNBA Free Agency – Where will free agents sign?

WNBA Free Agency signing period is about to open in just a few days and with that comes excitement of a new WNBA season. With that in mind, I decided to write a blog post on my predictions on where the WNBA free agents on every level (core players, reserved players, restricted free agents and unrestricted free agents) would sign for upcoming WNBA season. I have also listed some quick thoughts as to why I believe why that said player may re-sign or go sign somewhere else.

I have never done this type of post before in all my 10+ years of watching and covering the league, so I thought I would try something new. Let me know your opinion in the comments section and let’s see what happens when the free agency signings start on February 1st.

CORE PLAYERS

DeWanna Bonner (PHX) – Worry not, Phoenix Mercury fans. I predict that Dewanna Bonner will re-sign with Phoenix. She’s too important for the Mercury, hence the core tag.

Tina Charles (NYL) – Out of all the core players, this one was the most worrisome. The New York Liberty situation was getting out of hand and Tina Charles is just too valuable to lose. If the NY Liberty had to re locate, Tina Charles probably wouldn’t be on that team. However, that is no longer the case as the New York Liberty will now play in Brooklyn in 2020. This makes both management and Tina Charles happy. So I predict she will re-sign with New York.
Glory Johnson (DAL) – Glory Johnson is an interesting case. It’s interesting that Dallas used their core tag on her which means they value her contributions. Glory Johnson is a solid player but usually star players or MVP types get this designation which means that she will also re-sign with Dallas because she’s not going to get the same treatment among other teams.
Maya Moore (MIN) – Rumors are abound with  Maya Moore and the most heavy one is that she will sit out this season. If that is true, that means she will not play this season which is a loss for the Lynx and the WNBA for the 2019 WNBA season.
Jasmine Thomas (CON) – Jasmine Thomas will re-sign with Connecticut because the Sun really helped her career and let her shine, so she would not go anywhere else. I predict she re-signs with Connecticut.
Courtney Vandersloot (CHI) – Like Jasmine Thomas, Courtney Vandersloot’s career as a starting point guard for the Sky has become increasingly valuable to the Sky franchise, hence why the core tag.  I predict she re-signs with Chicago because she likes playing for the Sky.

RESERVED PLAYERS

Lindsay Allen (LVA) – I predict she re- signs with Las Vegas.
Anna Cruz (MIN) – I predict she re-signs with Minnesota.
Blake Dietrick (ATL) – I predict she may sign somewhere else.
Cayla George (DAL) – I predict she may sign somewhere else.
Linnae Harper (CHI) – I predict she re-signs with Chicago.
Astou Ndour (CHI) – I predict she re-signs with Chicago.
Sonja Petrovic (PHX) – I predict she re-signs with Phoenix.
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (NYL) – I predict she re-signs with New York.
Angel Robinson (PHX) – I predict she may sign somewhere else.
Mercedes Russell (SEA) – I predict she may sign somewhere else.
Karlie Samuelson (LAS) – I predict she re-signs with Los Angeles.
Asia Taylor (IND) – I predict she re-signs with Indiana.
Kayla Thornton (DAL) – I predict she re-signs with Dallas.
Marianna Tolo (LAS) – I predict she re-signs with Los Angeles
Yvonne Turner (PHX) – I predict she re-signs with Phoenix.
Marta Xargay (PHX) – I predict she re-signs with Phoenix.
Cecilia Zandalasini (MIN) – I predict she re-signs with Minnesota.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Natalie Achonwa (IND) – I predict Natalie Achonwa will re-sign with the Indiana Fever.
Rebecca Allen (NYL) – *update: Rebecca Allen is out with an ACL injury, unlikely to be available this season.*
Brittany Boyd (NYL) – I predict Brittany Boyd will re-sign with the New York Liberty.
Natasha Cloud (WAS) – I predict Natasha Cloud will re-sign with the Washington Mystics.
Damiris Dantas (ATL) – I predict Damiris Dantas will re-sign with the Atlanta Dream unless another team has a higher offer.
Jamierra Faulkner (CHI) – I predict Jamierra Faulkner may sign with another team if another team has a higher offer.
Chelsea Gray (LAS) – I predict Chelsea Gray will re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks
Dearica Hamby (LVA) – I predict Dearica Hamby will re-sign with the Las Vegas Aces.
Cheyenne Parker (CHI) – I predict Cheyenne Parker will re-sign with Chicago unless another higher offer comes.
Odyssey Sims (LAS) – I predict Odyssey Sims will re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks unless another higher offer comes.
Erica Wheeler (IND) – I predict Erica Wheeler will re-sign with the Indiana Fever.
Amanda Zahui B (NYL) – I predict Amanda Zahui B will re-sign with the New York Liberty unless another higher offer comes.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Seimone Augustus – I predict she re-signs with the Minnesota Lynx. Seimone Augustus has made Minnesota home, so she would want to stay as long as possible and possibly retire there.

Alana Beard – I predict she re-signs with the Los Angeles Sparks because the Sparks have done so much for her career and now when she is reaching the end of her playing career, she would want to have stability.

Rebekkah Brunson – I predict she re-signs with the Minnesota Lynx.  Like Seimone Augustus, Brunson has made Minnesota home and the fans and organization have been with her. I imagine she would also like the opportunity to possibly retire in Minnesota.

Essence Carson – I predict she signs somewhere else. I’m not sure what teams have offered, but if New York is in the running, I predict she would want to go back to New York, her previous team.

Karima Christmas-Kelly – I predict she re-signs with the Dallas Wings because Dallas has helped Karima Christmas-Kelly’s career and I think she would want to stay with the Dallas Wings because Dallas is a great city and has a championship coach in Brian Agler now.

Marissa Coleman – I predict she signs somewhere else. I’m just not sure where she would go.

Sydney Colson – I predict she re-signs with the Minnesota Lynx just because she will have a bigger opportunity to shine this season.

Monique Currie – I predict she re-signs with the Washington Mystics because she enjoys playing there and the DMV area is home to her.

Jelena Dubljevic – I predict she re-signs with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Adaora Elonu – Not sure of her plans, this one is up in the air.

Briann January –  I predict she re-signs with the Phoenix Mercury because she enjoyed a great season last year and she would want to continue playing there.

Shenise Johnson – Shenise Johnson is an interesting case. She could be highly valued for other teams and I predict that if a good deal comes along, she would take it over what the Fever would offer. I predict she may sign somewhere else.

Betnijah Laney – *update- I predict she probably sign somewhere else*

Crystal Langhorne – I predict she may sign somewhere else because while she became a WNBA champion, she may be looking for a new team as she had her worst season last season and may not want to be the Storm any longer.
Erlana Larkins – I predict she may sign somewhere else. I just don’t know where or what team.
Maggie Lucas – *update: I predict she may sign somewhere else*

Sancho Lyttle – I predict she re-signs with the Phoenix Mercury but would sign later as she still coming off recovering from a torn ACL.

Alex Montgomery – I predict she re-signs with the Chicago Sky.
Devereaux Peters – I predict she signs somewhere else.
Cappie Pondexter – I predict she signs somewhere else where the right fit would be for her as well as for the team.

Alexis Prince – I predict she signs somewhere else.
Epiphanny Prince – I predict she re-signs with the New York Liberty because the ownership situation is resolved and she would want to continue playing for the franchise.

Allie Quigley – I predict she re-signs with the Chicago Sky because Chicago has done so much for her career and she would want to continue playing for the Sky.

Noelle Quinn – I predict she may sign somewhere else.

Leticia Romero – I predict she may sign somewhere else where she could get an opportunity to shine.

Tierra Ruffin-Pratt – I predict she re-signs with the Washington Mystics.

LaToya Sanders – I predict she re-signs with the Washington Mystics.

Krystal Thomas – I predict she signs somewhere else.

Kia Vaughn – I predict she re-signs with the New York Liberty.

Riquna Williams – I predict she re-signs with the Los Angeles Sparks.

Shavonte Zellous – I predict she re-signs with the New York Liberty.