Why This Weekend’s Roster Cuts Matter More Than Usual

Did someone share this email with you? Get daily women’s basketball updates straight to your inbox. Sign up here!

What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. Fan Favorites Waived Ahead of Salary Guarantee Deadline 😔

A wave of roster moves hit over the weekend, with several well-known players released across the league:

• Alissa Pili (waived by the Lynx)

• Mercedes Russell (waived by the Sparks)

• Marquesha Davis (waived by the Liberty)

• Stephanie Talbot (waived by the Valkyries)

• Jaelyn Brown and Haley Peters (waived by the Connecticut Sun)

📋 See full list of WNBA Transactions

WHY IT MATTERS: Today marks a key date on the WNBA calendar: any player still on a roster as of today will have the remainder of their season salary fully guaranteed, even if they’re waived later. That’s why teams made so many last-minute cuts over the weekend—to preserve cap flexibility before the deadline.

Also starting today: teams can begin signing players to 7-day contracts, so expect some new faces to rotate in (and possibly out) quickly.

2. Midseason Standings Check-In: Who's In, Who's Chasing 🏃🏾‍♀️

We’ve hit the halfway point, and here’s where the league stands heading into the second half: (WNBA)

1. Minnesota Lynx (18-4)

2. Phoenix Mercury (14-6)

3. New York Liberty (14-6)

4. Seattle Storm (13-9)

5. Atlanta Dream (12-9)

6. Indiana Fever (11-10)

7. Washington Mystics (11-10)

8. Golden State Valkyries (10-10)

9. Las Vegas Aces (10-11)

10. Chicago Sky (7-13)

11. LA Sparks (7-14)

12. Dallas Wings (6-16)

13. Connecticut Sun (3-18)

WHY IT MATTERS: Minnesota holds the top spot, but the playoff race is anything but locked in. With just 1 game separating seeds 6 through 9, the battle for those final spots is heating up. And remember: the top 8 teams, regardless of conference, make the postseason. The Fever, Mystics, Valkyries, and Aces are tightly packed, so the pressure is on every night from here out.

3. Tina Charles Becomes the WNBA’s Second 8,000-Point Scorer 🙌

Tina Charles made history this weekend, joining Diana Taurasi as just the second player in WNBA history to reach 8,000 career points. (WNBA)

🎥 Watch the moment Charles hit the milestone

WHY IT MATTERS: Tina Charles finished with 20 points in the Connecticut Sun’s loss to the Seattle Storm. The eight-time All-Star and 2012 MVP now sits at 8,010 points in her career, putting her second all-time in WNBA history. She is already the all-time leading rebounder in WNBA history.

Only two other active players are close to entering the WNBA’s 8k club: DeWanna Bonner (7,553) and Nneka Ogwumike (6,858). Diana Taurasi remains the league’s all-time scoring leader at 10,646 career points.