With expansion stalled and deadlines looming, Paige Bueckers warns ongoing CBA delays threaten future WNBA seasons and player compensation.
The WNBA’s most pressing storyline has entered a precarious stretch, with the league and players’ union still without a new Collective Bargaining Agreement as another critical deadline approaches.
The league’s original target date for a new CBA was Oct. 31. When it became clear that talks would not conclude on time, both sides agreed to extend negotiations to Nov. 30. Optimism briefly entered the picture as word surfaced that the league had presented updated proposals. But those discussions failed to produce a deal, forcing a third extension to Jan. 9 — a date now looming over every corner of the league’s calendar.
The delay has already created complications. The Golden State Valkyries completed their expansion draft on Dec. 6, 2024, but Toronto and Portland still have not held their own. As of Dec. 9, 2025, both the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire remain frozen until a new CBA is in place, preventing the league from sequencing the remaining expansion drafts in the buildup to the 2026 season.
Those delays cascade into the next major checkpoint. Free agency traditionally opens in early February, but it cannot move forward until both expansion drafts are completed — a process entirely dependent on the CBA being finalized.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert reiterated the need for urgency during an Oct. 3 press conference at Michelob Ultra Arena ahead of the 2025 Finals. With the league’s growth accelerating and roster rules set to expand alongside two new franchises, the absence of a finalized agreement has become an increasingly disruptive factor.
Through it all, there has been little to suggest a breakthrough is near. And with each deadline now followed by another, concerns about the stability of the 2026 season continue to take on greater weight.
Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers addressed those tensions directly in an interview with The Dallas Morning News, offering a candid assessment of where talks stand. Before sharing her perspective, she emphasized the broader impact players have cultivated beyond the basketball court, from sponsorships to national media visibility.
“We can do things off the court. We can bring more visibility and eyes,” Bueckers said, outlining how players have helped elevate the league’s profile through commercial partnerships with major brands and increased public exposure.
She continued by connecting that visibility to the players’ argument for increased financial investment.
“We’re more than just WNBA players and I think we want to get compensated as such,” she said, underscoring one of the core issues driving the union’s negotiation stance.
Bueckers later described the union’s posture at the negotiating table, pointing to the firm positions players have taken and how their insistence on meaningful changes has prolonged the process.
“There’s things, as WNBA players and the WNBPA, that we’re standing firm on,” she said. “I think that’s why the extensions are happening and the conversations are continuing to keep going past the deadlines.”
She added a stark outlook on the pace of talks: “These deadlines will probably continue to keep getting extended.”
Her comments reflect a broader uncertainty felt across the league. With expansion on pause, free agency threatened, and the upcoming season inching closer, the stakes of each passing week continue to rise. For now, both sides remain at the table — but patience around the league is wearing thin, and the calendar is no longer on their side.