Liberty Release Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, 2024 Title Piece

The New York Liberty released Betnijah Laney-Hamilton on Thursday, the team announced.

Laney-Hamilton appeared in 17 games this season and started 5 of them, averaging 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 16.8 minutes. She shot 36.2% from the field and 9-of-37 from 3-point range.

Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said the decision was difficult and that Laney-Hamilton would remain part of the franchise.

"We want to thank Betnijah for everything she has given to this organization," Kolb said. "She has been an instrumental part of our success since 2021 and has made a lasting impact on our team, both on and off the court. We're incredibly grateful for her professionalism, leadership, and the commitment she brought to the New York Liberty every day.

"While this decision is incredibly difficult, we believe this will give Betnijah the best opportunity to pursue a larger basketball role," Kolb continued. "We wish her nothing but success moving forward, and she'll always be a member of the Liberty family. As a key contributor to the first championship in franchise history, Betnijah's legacy with the Liberty is forever cemented."

Since joining New York in 2021, Laney-Hamilton played 126 regular-season games for the Liberty, 108 of them starts, and averaged 12.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. She made the All-Star team in 2021 and opened that season with 8 straight 20-point games, the first Liberty player to do so. The 6-0 guard/forward became the fifth player in franchise history to score 20 points in a Finals game, doing it in New York's Game 2 win over Minnesota in the 2024 WNBA Finals. She played 28 games in the 2024 title season and averaged 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.

Before signing with New York, Laney-Hamilton spent five seasons with Chicago, Connecticut, Indiana, and Atlanta. She won Most Improved Player in 2020, took the Dawn Staley Leadership Award in 2022, and made the All-Defensive Second Team in 2023. Across 251 regular-season games, 160 of them starts, she has averaged 9.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. In 26 playoff games, 25 of them starts, she has averaged 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.

Laney-Hamilton was playing on an expiring contract valued at $400,000. Her name had been in trade talks since the start of the season, according to The Athletic's Annie Costabile, who reported that Kolb's prohibitively high asking price kept a deal from coming together. The trade deadline passed Aug. 2 without a move. New York was also among the teams that pursued Kelsey Plum before the deadline.

Laney-Hamilton missed all of the 2025 season while recovering from surgery on her left knee to repair a meniscus injury she sustained playing at Unrivaled. Kolb suspended her contract that year, a move that cleared her salary off the cap sheet, opened a roster spot, and gave New York exclusive negotiating rights over her in free agency. She re-signed with the Liberty on April 15.

Three consecutive DNPs came leading into the All-Star break.

"As a competitor, as somebody who's worked really hard, as somebody who's been a part of the organization for a long time, it can sometimes be disappointing and frustrating," Laney-Hamilton said in July. "But, you know, that's also part of the process."

Laney-Hamilton was ejected in the fourth quarter at Toronto on July 12 after she picked up Jonquel Jones' shoe and threw it, inadvertently hitting Toronto's Marina Mabrey. It was her second technical foul of the game.

New York is 19-13 and third in the Eastern Conference. The Liberty beat Seattle 92-86 on Wednesday at Barclays Center for their third straight win. New York hosts Las Vegas on Sunday and plays at Indiana on Aug. 11.