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✂️ Layup Lines: Training camp takeoff

One big question for every team.

Author

Everett Cook
April 20, 2026

Happy Monday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA.

  • Training camps started yesterday, which means we’re less than three weeks away from the first game of the 2026 season. Giddy up!

This 768 word newsletter should take less than 3 minutes to read.

😮‍💨 Where every team now stands

After an expansion draft, rookie draft and free agency, most teams look dramatically different than last season. Here’s quick primer:

  • 🗽 New York (+220 to win the 2026 WNBA championship)

    • Projected starting lineup: Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Satou Sabally, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones

    • Needs: Frontcourt depth

    • One big question: Can longtime Warriors assistant and first-time women’s basketball coach Chris DeMarco steer the most talented roster in the league?

  • ♦️ Las Vegas (+460)

    • Jackie Young, Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, NaLyssa Smith, A'ja Wilson

    • Needs: Young contributors

    • The Aces fully retained a veteran core that delivered their third title in four years in 2025. Are they too old to run it back again?

  • 🥵 Indiana (+470)

    • Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark, Lexie Hull, Monique Billings, Aliyah Boston

    • Needs: Small forward / wings

    • This team is built around Clark’s strengths. What happens if she’s not healthy again?

  • 😴 Atlanta (+600)

    • Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, Angel Reese

    • Needs: Backup center

    • How quickly can a team with six tier 1 scorers gel on offense?

  • 😺 Minnesota (+800)

    • Olivia Miles, Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Natasha Howard, Dorka Juhasz

    • Needs: Post players

    • After offseason surgery on both ankles, how many games does Napheesa Collier miss — and can the Lynx survive without her?

  • ✨ Los Angeles (+1500)

    • Kelsey Plum, Ariel Atkins, Rae Burrell, Dearica Hamby, Nneka Ogwumike

    • Needs: Defensive wings

    • Can 2024 No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink grow from a role-playing defensive whiz to a full-on star?

  • 🌵 Phoenix (+2200)

    • Kahleah Copper, Sami Whitcomb, Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Mack

    • Needs: Size and rebounding

    • Is 34-year-old Thomas able to drag another mid-level roster to the Finals after the loss of Satou Sabally?

  • 🪽 Dallas Wings (+4000)

    • Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard, Alanna Smith

    • Needs: Packaging up depth for another star

    • Can a wild offseason fix the wrongs of what has been a terrible defensive team?

  • 🌁 Golden State (+4000)

    • Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaun, Iliana Rupert

    • Needs: Center

    • The expansion Valkyries shocked the league last year, but how many of these players have another level to hit in year 2?

  • 🌄 Chicago (+10000)

    • Rachel Banham, Skylar Diggins, Rickea Jackson, Azura Stevens, Kamilla Cardoso

    • Needs: Healthy guards

    • Does compiling star power from teams who didn’t go far in the playoffs last year lead to success this year?

  • 💨 Toronto (+12500)

    • Julie Allemand, Brittney Sykes, Marina Mabrey, Nyara Sabally, Temi Fagbenle

    • Needs: Small forward / wings

    • Is there a Golden State expansion blueprint to follow here?

  • 🧙‍♀️ Washington (+15000)

    • Sonia Citron, Georgia Amoore, Angela Dugalic, Kiki Iriafen, Shakira Austin

    • Needs: Veterans

    • Can the youngest core in the league develop winning habits?

  • ⛈️ Seattle (+25000)

    • Zia Cooke, Natisha Hiedeman, Jordan Horston, Ezi Magbegor, Dominique Malonga

    • Needs: Shot-creating guards

    • Will young bigs Malonga and No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam Thiam develop enough to make Magbegor expendable?

  • 🌞 Connecticut (+50000)

    • Kennedy Burke, Leila Lacan, Aneesah Morrow, Saniya Rivers, Brittney Griner

    • Needs: Shot-creating guards

    • How much does this lame duck season affect a young core before the move to Houston in 2027?

  • 🔥 Portland (+50000)

    • Haley Jones, Carla Leite, Sug Sutton, Bridget Carleton, Luisa Geiselsoder

    • Needs: Non-role players

    • Can the worst roster in the W win double digit games?

💰 Rookie scale context

Courtesy Sportskeeda

  • Hand up: I’ve done a bad job breaking down how much more money rookies are making this year.

    • Remember that all existing rookie contracts also got scaled up, so former No. 1 picks didn’t get completely screwed. But the timing is still pretty incredible for Azzi Fudd, who is making way more in her first season ($500k) than Rhyne Howard made in her first 4 seasons combined ($318k).

👟 5 ICYMI headlines

  • A'ja Wilson staying with Aces on 3-year, $5M supermax deal (ESPN)

  • Aliyah Boston's historic contract extension with Fever is a big win for WNBA (Yardbarker)

  • Why the Chennedy Carter signing makes sense for the Aces despite the risks (CBS)

  • Valkyries re-sign Tiffany Hayes to 1-year contract extension (Yahoo!)

  • The WNBA's Natasha Cloud problem (probably) isn't political (High Post Hoops)

👟 Sneakers to go

  • As a non-shoe person, I didn’t realize how many NBA players wear the Sabrina 3s. Pretty, pretty cool.

Courtesy Kix Stats

Layup Lines is written 100% by a human being. AI tools help with the visuals. Thanks for reading!

— Everett Cook, Founder & Editor