Building the Perfect WNBA Expansion Draft
What if the Golden State Valkyries (or next year's Toronto and Portland teams) could pick a team from an unprotected player pool?
Expansion drafts are a difficult science. In the case of the WNBA, you’re picking from a pool of players that, in the best of scenarios, represents the 7th best player on each team’s roster, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to understand why building a functional team entirely from players of that caliber is a huge ask. The picks made by Golden State last Friday—albeit without any visibility to the names on offer—generally drew positive reviews from the media, but the quality of the projected rotation before free agency and the draft still means 2025 will be an uphill battle for Natalie Nakase and company.
But, what if things were different? What if those pesky “protected players” lists didn’t exist and Nakase could build a squad that’s ready to compete with her former employers Las Vegas and the rest of the WNBA’s elite in year one? It sounds easy enough—pick the best player on every team and coast to a ring, but the salary cap (and the reality of egos and limited playing time) means it’s a little bit more difficult (though still far more favorable than the circumstances Golden State faced in real life). Let’s take a look at my perfect expansion draft—if every player in the W was on the table.
Pick 1: A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)
2025 Salary: $200,000, Remaining Cap: $1.3 Million
The obvious place to start is the best player on the planet. Wilson, regardless of the roster around her, instantly makes you a contender and significantly hurts one of the other top-tier contenders’ chances in the process. Of course, in Golden State’s specific scenario, Nakase’s ties to the player would make the pick an even more comfortable opener. Her team-friendly deal with Vegas also opens the door to adding some more firepower later on.
Pick 2: Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury)
2025 Salary: $248,134, Remaining Cap: $1 Million
Copper will be amongst the highest-paid players in the W next season thanks to the max extension she signed with Chicago in 2023, but she’s worth every penny thanks to (1) her two-way impact and (2) her ability to mesh with virtually any roster. Regardless of the players I pick after Copper, I know she has the skills to be a positive contributor alongside them. With catch and shoot stars, she can be a ball dominant force who attacks the defense and creates advantages for others on the perimeter. With high usage players, she can be the shooter posted at the three-point line waiting to fire away or attack closeouts and finish at the rim.
Pick 3: Jonquel Jones (New York Liberty)
2025 Salary: $195,000, Remaining Cap: $863,966
Despite the litany of accolades that Jones has earned in her career, it still seems as if she’s too often under appreciated when the best players in the WNBA are discussed. As part of this team, she’s a perfect fit. Just as in New York, Jones is unselfish enough to fade into the background when others are hot but talented and focused enough to completely take over a game when the team needs her. The ability she’s demonstrated to shoot the ball from long-range (38.8% last season) also sets her apart from many other fives and makes her a dynamic addition to this super team.
Pick 4: Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)
2025 Salary: $78,066, Remaining Cap: $785,900
On a rookie deal, I don’t know how you pass Clark up. Of course, I have worries about having too many ball dominant players, but the passing ability of Clark figures to be enough to sort that out. We started to see glimpses of how the #1 pick’s ability to feed a post could benefit a great player like Aliyah Boston this season, and I have no doubts that Wilson and Jones will benefit mightily from the presence of Clark in the starting five.
Pick 5: Jordan Horston (Seattle Storm)
2025 Salary: $76,630, Remaining Cap: $709,270
Another cheaper deal because the top three in this line-up took a big bite out of the cap but another (like Clark) that offers great value given the rookie contract. With the defensive strides Horston showed last season (and the unselfishness alongside a trio of starts in the Northwest), she lines up as a perfect fit for this roster off of the bench. If we’re talking about a literal expansion draft (and not just a fantasy draft—which is what this exercise is), Horston is a great player to select because of the potential to grow into one of the league’s standout two-way stars.
Pick 6: Kamilla Cardoso (Chicago Sky)
2025 Salary: $78,066, Remaining Cap: $631,204
Another rookie deal with either of Cardoso or front court partner Angel Reese offering great value off of the Chicago roster. In this case, I went with Cardoso because there are few 6’7” players that (1) come at such a low price and (2) can pass the basketball like the Brazilian. After the talent she showed as a rookie, I don’t imagine Cardoso would love the idea of coming off the bench, but we’ll hope she can tap into the unselfishness she showed when deputizing for Boston during her time at South Carolina.
Pick 7: Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx)
2025 Salary: $180,000, Remaining Cap: $451,204
There’s so many ways you could go with a pick from this roster given the multi-dimensional nature of so many of Cheryl Reeve’s players, but I choose Williams for her combo guard skills. Her and Clark would be virtually interchangeable at the one and the two with both able to score in isolations, create for others with their drives and offer considerable value off the ball. Given McBride or Collier would come at a cost that’s difficult to fit within the remaining cap, the veteran is the perfect fit—especially thanks to her experience playing with Copper and Jones at past stops.
Pick 8: Julie Allemand (Los Angeles Sparks)
2025 Salary: $85,000, Remaining Cap: $366,204
I toyed with the idea of pulling Layshia Clarendon out of their retirement thanks to the multi-faceted abilities and veteran leadership the now-retired former LA guard would bring, but I’m not sure the league would allow it. Instead, I’m going for a veteran who can steady the ship behind Williams and Clark and arrives at a reasonable price. Allemand has championship experience overseas, went deep with the Sky in the 2022 playoffs and should acquiesce well to a reserve role (though her ‘25 status is up in their air as Belgium looks to defend at EuroBasket next summer). Worst case scenario, this $85k is re-invested into a veteran PG in free agency with Williams and Clark sure to eat up most of the guard minutes.
Pick 9: Naz Hillmon (Atlanta Dream)
2025 Salary: $80,823, Remaining Cap: $285,381
Funds are getting a little bit low, but Hillmon would be a great player to add even if the budget was unlimited. She stood out more often than not in Atlanta last season, and is the perfect back-up for A’ja (who won’t come out much anyways). At just 25 years old when next season starts, odds are Hillmon will keep growing in the future—with chances to enhance her role as the years go by.
Pick 10: Sika Koné (Washington Mystics)
2025 Salary: $66,710, Remaining Cap: $218,671
At this point, it’s necessary to be realistic about the cap, and Koné is one of the best value for money players in the W on her current contract. She’s also shown an ability to have a stop-start role and still offer production when she does get minutes which will be vital on this roster where she’ll be the 6th or 7th name off of the bench on most nights. When she does see the floor, Koné always brings the energy, and that will be of value if Wilson or Hillmon gets into foul trouble.
Pick 11: Jaelyn Brown (Dallas Wings)
2025 Salary: Reserved Player — Estimated Salary ($68k), Remaining Cap: $150,671
Brown’s presumed breakout last season was stunted by an early facial injury, but she’s another like Koné who seems more capable of accepting an in-and-out role given where she’s at in her career. If Brown blossoms into the player her tape suggests she can be, this could be a huge addition in year three or four of the expansion team’s arrival to the W. For now, a multi-dimensional defender off of the bench is never a bad thing to have.
Pick 12: DiJonai Carrington (Connecticut Sun)
2025 Salary: Restricted Free Agent
I had to have one last trick up my sleeve, and the restricted free agency rights to the Sun standout are that trick. Carrington, in many ways, plays like Copper and has shown an ability to offer impact off the bench before. As a heavy minute “reserve” on this team, Carrington would likely coast to sixth player of the year in 2025. The only concern, then, is if the $150k in remaining cap would be enough to retain her services. Luckily, Brown is a reserved player—meaning Golden State (or in this case, me) would have the opportunity to put a full $218k towards Carrington’s contract and play with an 11-player roster in 2025 if need be.
The “Perfect Expansion Draft” Rotation
