Skylar Diggins-Smith, the most sought after guard on the market, signed with the Seattle Storm Thursday, the team announced. The contract is a two-year deal, according to The Next’s Howard Megdal. The six-time All-Star joins the Storm after missing the entire 2023 WNBA season while on maternity leave. The signing also puts an end to a rocky tenure with the Phoenix Mercury.

“Joining the Seattle Storm is the ideal next step in my basketball journey,” Diggins-Smith said in a statement. “The organization’s dedication to its players and the progression of the league is commendable. I’m laser focused for the upcoming season.”

The Storm now have an all-Notre Dame starting backcourt. Diggins-Smith and Storm star guard Jewell Loyd will once again share the floor, like their days with the Fighting Irish during the 2012-13 NCAA season. The team, under the helm of head coach Noelle Quinn, hope that the star backcourt will help the team improve on a 13-27 season in 2023.

“Stepping onto the court alongside Jewell, benefitting from the leadership of Noelle Quinn and feeling the energy of the Seattle Storm fans is a combination that I am confident will lead to success,” Diggins-Smith said.

The addition of Diggins-Smith comes after Loyd averaged career-highs in points (24.7) and rebounds (4.7). Loyd was named to the WNBA Second Team in 2023. Her scoring average was the second-highest average in WNBA history behind Diana Taurasi’s 25.3 points per game in 2006.

The last time Diggins-Smith was on the court, she averaged 19.7 points, 5.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds for the Mercury, which landed her a WNBA First Team selection in 2022. Diggins-Smith was selected to a WNBA First or Second Team six times in her career.

The second-most sought after guard on the market reportedly came off the board on Thursday. Natasha Cloud intends to sign with the Phoenix Mercury, a move first reported by Girls Talk Sports TV’s Khristina Williams. Cloud spent her entire eight-year career with the Washington Mystics. She played a crucial role as a starter in the team’s 2019 WNBA championship and is most known for her defensive toughness on the perimeter.

Her last game for the Mystics came in a gut-wrenching five-point elimination loss against the Liberty in Game 2 in the first round of the playoffs in 2023. She finished with 33 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals. The guard averaged 12.7 points and 3.7 boards for the Mystics last season. Her 6.2 assists per game in 2023 ranked fifth in the league.

LIBERTY CAMP SIGNINGS

The Liberty announced they signed four players to training camp deals: Okako Adika, Ivana Dojkić, Leonie Fiebich and Stephanie Mawuli.

The Liberty has signed Okako Adika, Ivana Dojkić, Leonie Fiebich & Stephanie Mawuli to training camp contracts.

Welcome to NY! pic.twitter.com/zPn3muxeXW

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) February 1, 2024

The Libs acquired Fiebich’s rights last season in a four-team trade that sent 2021 Rookie of the Year winner Michaela Onyenwere to the Mercury. The 6-4 wing is averaging 12.7 points and and 6.7 boards in Euroleague action with Casademont Zaragoza.

Guard Dojkić averaged 6.5 points and 2.8 assists in 23 games with the Storm last season. The 6-0 Adika was selected by the Liberty in the third round of last season’s draft out of USC. The Trojan product averaged 7.3 points and 4.9 boards in the 2022-23 NCAA season. Japanese forward Mawuli is averaging 9.3 points and 2.5 boards in 19 games with Spanish club Estudiantes.

OTHER NOTABLE SIGNINGS

Guard Jordin Canada is finalizing a contract with the Atlanta Dream via a sign-and-trade deal with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to ESPN’s Andraya Carter. The Sparks sent Canada and the No. 12 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft in exchange for Aari McDonald and the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, the teams announced. The move comes after the Sparks used a core designation on the guard following a career year. Canada averaged career-highs in points (13.3), assists (6.0), rebounds (3.1), steals (2.3) and three-point percentage (33.3%) after signing a training camp deal with the Sparks last offseason. She was also a WNBA First Team All Defense selection in 2023.

The Dream continued their busy offseason by signing eight-time All-Star Tina Charles and former Lynx wing Aerial Powers, the team announced. Tanisha Wright’s team also re-signed forward Nia Coffey.

Guard Courtney Williams is expected to sign a two-year guaranteed deal with the Minnesota Lynx, according to Girls Talk Sports TV. Williams averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 assists and 6.0 rebounds in 40 games with the Chicago Sky in 2023. Her assists average ranked fourth in the league in 2023 and will improve a Lynx team that already include MVP candidate Napheesa Collier and young star Diamond Miller.

Former Liberty forward DiDi Richards is signing with the Washington Mystics, the 24-year-old announced on her podcast with Terrika Foster-Brasby. Richards was a fan-favorite in her two seasons with the Liberty from 2021-22. The Liberty cut the Baylor product at the end of training camp last season. She later went on to play overseas with the Sydney Flames in the WNBL. Richards is averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists in 19 games with the Flames.

The Dallas Wings announced they reached a multi-year agreement with center Kalani Brown.

“I am so excited to be returning and making Dallas home,” said Brown. “I can’t wait to get back with my teammates and win a championship here in the future.”

The news of Browns’ return was first reported by Girls Talk Sports TV and The Athletic’s Dorothy J. Gentry reported the big turned down higher offers in order to stay with the Wings. Brown averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 boards in 16.4 minutes played with the Wings last season. The news of her return comes after the team announced 2023 Most Improved Player Satou Sabally re-signed with the Wings.

Back-to-back champions Las Vegas Aces re-signed center Kiah Stokes and signed center Megan Gustafson, according to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Both bigs join the Aces on two-year deals. The team also announced they re-signed guard Sydney Colson on Thursday.

“I’m excited to re-sign with the Aces because I love this organization and I truly feel like we’re a team in every sense of the word,” said Colson.

Morgan James will join the squad on a training camp deal, per the team.

The Liberty’s Ionescu and the Golden State Warriors’ Curry, having both already conquered their leagues’ 3-point challenges, are set to participate in their unprecedented shootout on Feb. 17 at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, organizers announced Tuesday.

The event, billed as “Stephen vs. Sabrina,” marks the first official 3-point contest between the NBA and WNBA.

Ionescu set the record for both leagues last July by scoring 37 out of a maximum 40 points in the final round of the WNBA’s 3-point challenge — a feat that included 20 consecutive makes from deep. It was her first time winning the event.

“I knew they were going in,” Ionescu said at the time. “I was telling my agents over there, I didn’t even wait for the ball to get through the net. As soon as I shot it, it looked good and I just went down and kept grabbing [basketballs] and was listening to the fans as they were cheering, knowing that they went in. So they were my validation.”

Curry, a two-time NBA three-point contest winner, described her performance as “RIDICULOUS” in a celebratory social-media post, to which Ionescu replied, “Shoot out??”

And now it’s happening.

The duo will follow their leagues’ respective 3-point rules, with Curry, 35, shooting from behind the NBA 3-point line with NBA balls, and Ionescu, 26, using the WNBA line and WNBA balls.

“Stephen vs. Sabrina” is set to take place between the NBA’s standard 3-point challenge and the slam-dunk contest.

Curry, a nine-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion, entered Tuesday having made a league-record 3,577 3-pointers in his career. Ionescu, the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, made 128 3-pointers last year to set the WNBA’s single-season record.

Center Jonquel Jones intends to re-sign with the Liberty after receiving significant interest across the league, according to The Next’s Jackie Powell.

The news of the re-signing comes months after the 2021 MVP said she’s “definitely trending towards coming back here,” when asked about her possible return to New York. Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said during his exit interview in October that Jones is “a player we definitely want to retain.”

Jones was the Liberty’s most consistent player in the postseason. She contributed 16.8 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in the playoffs. The former Connecticut Sun averaged 11.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while appearing in every regular season game for the Liberty in 2023.

The 30-year-old initially landed in New York last offseason after the Sun traded her to the Liberty in exchange for forward Rebecca Allen and draft compensation. The three-team deal — which included the Dallas Wings — also brought Kayla Thornton to the Liberty.

Jones hopes to be a full participant in the team’s training camp in 2024 after missing time in last year’s camp due to a foot injury. The injury was sustained as a member of the Sun during the 2022 postseason. Jones getting acclimated to her new team while returning from the injury attributed to a slow start with the Liberty last season. She failed to score in double-digits in three of her first eight games with the team and didn’t record her first double-double until the 10th game of the season. 

After hitting her stride, Jones looked like her dominant self for the Liberty. She was awarded the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup MVP Award after recording 16 points and 15 boards in the 82-63 victory over the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob Ultra Arena. The center recorded nine double-doubles after the All-Star Break, including a stretch of four consecutive games during that period.

The Liberty still have one more star to re-sign. Breanna Stewart, the 2023 MVP, was cored by the team, which makes her ineligible to test free agency this winter. Kolb will be busy during the WNBA Draft in April, with the team currently owning four total picks (No. 11, No. 17, No. 23, and No. 35).

Finals MVP A’ja Wilson and the Aces became the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Los Angeles Sparks (2001-02). WNBA fans witnessed a suspenseful, three-woman MVP race that ended with Liberty star Breanna Stewart winning by a narrow margin. The league was also introduced to a new crop of stars that could one day compete for their own MVP award.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league have a lot to build on next season. And there are prospects who could declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft that could shake up the league as well. Let’s take a look at potential storylines for the 2024 WNBA season.

ACES 3-PEAT

The Aces will embark on a mission that only one other team has accomplished. Only the Houston Comets have won three straight championships in WNBA history. In fact, the team, led by Hall of Famer Cynthia Cooper, won four consecutive championships (1997-2000) in the first years of the league.

Head coach Becky Hammon, Wilson and the Aces are primed to make history. The core — Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young — are all returning while in the primes of their careers. Wilson seems to progress each season after being taken No. 1 overall out of South Carolina in 2018. In 2023, she averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.2 blocks per game. She won her second-consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award after a dominant season.

Young’s progression in 2023 — she averaged 17.6 and four rebounds per game — garnered early-season MVP talks and eventually landed her a spot on the All-WNBA Second Team.

The pieces are intact for an Aces three-peat.

LIBERTY RUNNING IT BACK

Sandy Brondello and her squad were one game away from forcing a do-or-die Game 5 in the WNBA Finals. All signs point to them running it back with the same squad in hopes to win the franchise’s first title. Brondello said the team did “miracles” in its first season together after an offseason roster overhaul. But she noted that more time together could be the special ingredient needed to reach the mountaintop.

“So we’re gonna grow with more time with each other because it’s a new group,” Brondello said at the end of the 2023 season. “I’m excited. Going through the fire, that’s how you grow, isn’t it?”

Starters Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney will get another year to mesh in Brooklyn. The starting five will be complete if star Jonquel Jones decides to re-sign with the team. After the Finals loss, the 2021 MVP signaled that she is “definitely trending towards coming back here.”

SDS TO CONNECTICUT SUN?

Aside from Jones, star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith headlines the 2024 free agent class. She’s set to be an unrestricted free agent after a rocky tenure with the Phoenix Mercury. The six-time All-Star didn’t play a game in 2023 while on maternity leave and she later said that the team didn’t allow her to use its facilities.

They’re not gonna acknowledge me this year and it’s ok guys. We’re not affiliated unless it’s the checks….per management. I can’t even use the practice facility or any resources. But I still love the X-Factor!! https://t.co/lcDb05fVVg

— Skylar Diggins-Smith (@SkyDigg4) August 3, 2023

“They’re not gonna acknowledge me this year and it’s OK guys,” she said on X. “We’re not affiliated unless it’s the checks… per management. I can’t even use the practice facility or any resources.”

She added in another post: “But “I’m fine with being distanced… [because] now I can’t possibly be the villain anymore,” she wrote.

Diggins-Smith averaged 19.7 points, 5.5 assists and four rebounds in 30 games played in 2022. Her playmaking at the point would suit any team in the league, but Connecticut looks like a great destination. Her possible addition fills the team’s need of a true starting point guard. Diggins-Smith at the point allows 2023 MVP runner-up Alyssa Thomas to not have the burden of ballhandling duties for majority of games.

And having two assist machines — Diggins-Smith and Thomas — on the floor together creates an offense that becomes more difficult for opposing defenses to handle. Thomas ended 2023 ranked second in assists per game — behind Vandersloot — with 7.9. Diggins-Smith’s 5.5 per game in 2022 ranked seventh.

ALIYAH BOSTON, CAITLAN CLARK DUO

The Fever winning the 2024 WNBA draft lottery quickly led the basketball world to imagine: how good could Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark be together?

Clark has one more year of college eligibility, but all signs point to her leaving Iowa and ending up as the Fever’s top selection.

“How versatile she is,” Boston told Wish-TV News 8 when describing the Iowa guard in December. “Her vision on the court. I think that’s super important. And I think she does a great job of that at Iowa. And so, I think it’s going to be exciting whatever she decides, whether that’s to come out [into the WNBA Draft] or that’s to stay in. Regardless, ultimately, it’s her decision. She has to do what’s best for her. But whoever we get in the number one pick, they’re going to enjoy the Fever.”

Clark currently leads the NCAA in points (30.9) and in three-pointers made (4.86). Her possible addition to the Fever could induce nightmare pick-and-roll sequences for years to come. Clark landing in Indiana doesn’t mean the team will shoot to the top of the WNBA, though. The Fever finished with a 13-27 record in 2023 after winning just five games in 2022.

The Iowa guard’s addition would certainly add to a rebuilding roster that includes the unanimous Rookie of the Year Winner Boston, who played all 40 games while averaging 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.

The duo complements other key pieces on the Fever as well: 2022 All-Rookie Team selection NaLyssa Smith and guard Grace Berger.

The Liberty — along with the rest of the league — will experience changes in the new season, including a reformatted Commissioner’s Cup tournament and a mid-season break right after All-Star Weekend.

Here are some key dates that stick out for head coach Sandy Brondello and the Liberty this season.

1ST GAME OF THE SEASON

For the second year in a row, the Liberty’s first game of the season will be on the road against the Washington Mystics on May 14. Last season, the Mystics shut down the new-look Liberty and cruised to a 16-point victory. In 2024, the matchup could be a bit different between the two teams that met in the first round of last year’s postseason.

The Mystics may be without two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne and star Natasha Cloud, who are both unrestricted free agents. Three-time All-Star Kristi Toliver, who hasn’t officially announced her retirement, became an associate head coach for the Phoenix Mercury.

HOME OPENER

Breanna Stewart and the Liberty will have their first game at Barclays Center on May 18. The 2023 MVP hopes to put on a show like she did in last year’s Barclays Center debut, when she broke the Liberty’s single-game scoring record with a 45-point performance against the Fever.

The home opener will give the Libs their second look of the season against 2023 unanimous Rookie of the Year winner Aliyah Boston. The teams will meet two days prior at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The matchups could also give the Libs a look at consensus No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark. Many project Clark to forgo her final year of eligibility and declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft.

1ST COMMISSIONER’S CUP GAME

The Libs will host the Fever for their first Commissioner’s Cup game on June 2. It’ll be the first of five in-conference matchups within the span of two weeks (June 1-13). The new format differs from last season’s structure. In 2023, teams played 10 Cup games. The championship game takes place on June 25 at the arena of the team with the best record in Cup play. The team from each conference with the top record in Commissioner’s Cup games will compete for a $500,000 prize pool.

“After crowning three Commissioner’s Cup champions since 2021, we believe it is time to introduce a new, streamlined format for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase for the 2024 season,” said Engelbert. “The newly designed, concentrated structure for this in-season tournament adds an increased sense of urgency and excitement as we place a particular spotlight on Eastern and Western Conference Commissioner’s Cup play in a two-week window near the tip-off of our regular season.”

Jonquel Jones, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, won Commissioner’s Cup MVP after lifting the Liberty to a win over the Las Vegas Aces in 2023.

SEMIFINALS REMATCH

The Liberty will travel to Uncasville for their first matchup against the Connecticut Sun and fourth Cup game overall. The two teams last met in Game 4 of last season’s semifinals, when Stewart and Betnijah Laney played every minute to eliminate MVP runner-up Alyssa Thomas and the Sun.

The Sun could have more than one key player missing in 2024. Guard Tiffany Hayes, who averaged 12.1 points on 47.6% shooting, announced her retirement weeks ago. DeWanna Bonner, Rebecca Allen and Brionna Jones are all unrestricted free agents.

The team is also believed to be a contender to sign six-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith. Her possible addition would satisfy the team’s need of an elite true point guard.

WNBA FINALS REMATCH

Superstar A’ja Wilson and the Aces will host the Liberty at Michelob Ultra Arena on June 15. It’ll be the first matchup between the two teams since the Aces eliminated the Libs in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals in Brooklyn.

The teams will meet at least two more times in 2024: Aug. 17 at Michelob Ultra Arena and Sept. 8 at Barclays Center.

ALL-STAR WEEKEND

The 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend will take place from July 19-20 in Phoenix, with the All-Star Game being on the latter date. Team Stewart defeated Team Wilson, 143-127, in last year’s game in Las Vegas. Liberty stars Courtney Vandersloot and Sabrina Ionescu helped captain Stewart get the win.

Ionescu also finished the weekend with extra hardware after scoring a record 37 of 40 points to win the 3-point contest.

OLYMPIC BREAK

The regular season will break from July 21-Aug. 14 when the Paris Olympics are set to take place. Many WNBA stars will represent their respective countries in the tournament.

REGULAR-SEASON FINALE

Brondello and the Libs will end their regular season against the Atlanta Dream at home on Sept. 19. All 12 teams will be in action that day with playoff seedings and berths on the line.

The Liberty, who achieved a franchise-record 32 wins in 2023, project to bring back most of their core for the 2024 season. And with Kolb already locking down Betnijah Laney and Kayla Thornton before the offseason, there will be fewer targets on his list to take care of.

But, there’s still one big splash the GM will have to take care of. Here’s a look at the Liberty’s impending 2024 free agents.

JONQUEL JONES

Bringing back Jonquel Jones is Kolb’s main priority this offseason. During exit interview in October, the executive said the 2021 MVP is “a player we definitely want to retain.” Jones’ return to Brooklyn is essential for the team’s attempt to run it back with the same core in 2024. Following a slow start due to a foot injury, Jones averaged 11.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in her first season with the Liberty. She improved those numbers in the postseason while becoming the team’s most reliable option during the Liberty’s WNBA Finals run, averaging 16.8 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.

Jones joined the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association since her Finals run. Her dominance continued, which was shown in her 35-point, 20-rebound performance on 60% shooting (15-25) for Inner Mongolia earlier this month. The Liberty hope she’ll continue the trend in Barclays Center in 2024.

“…definitely trending towards coming back here,” Jones said about returning to the Liberty at the end of the 2023 season.

BREANNA STEWART

The 2023 MVP would’ve headlined this offseason’s free agent class, but Kolb quickly shut down any possibility of another team landing the superstar.

Kolb stated months ago he would “100 percent” core the superstar this offseason, making her ineligible to test unrestricted free agency in the winter. The WNBA’s core designation works similarly to the NFL’s franchise tag.

“She will not be an unrestricted free agent,” Kolb said during exit interviews.

Keeping Stewart in Brooklyn — potentially with Jones — gives the Liberty the best shot at gaining the chemistry needed to take down the Las Vegas Aces in a future postseason matchup. The only question looming, in terms of Stewart’s free agency, is what will be the size of her deal. Stewart agreed to take less money, $180,000, according to HerHoopStats, in order for the Liberty to form its superteam last winter. If Stewart signs for a supermax deal, like she did with the Seattle Storm in 2022 ($228,094), that’ll leave less money to fill out the bottom of the team’s roster.

Stewart is deserving of a supermax deal if that’s what she desires. She beat out Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson and Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas for her second MVP award. In her first season with the Libs, she averaged a career-high in points (23) and assists (3.8). She also grabbed 9.3 rebounds per game and was the only player in the league to average at least 1.5 steals and blocks per game.

“I’m excited for what we’re doing here in New York and with the Liberty,” Stewart said. “Its been amazing to be a part of and I’m looking forward to doing it for many years to come.”

STEFANIE DOLSON

The potential size of Stewart’s deal — and possible re-signing of Jones — could jeopardize a possible contract for a player like Stefanie Dolson. Dolson provided leadership and championship experience to a Liberty team that featured a roster revamp.

The two-time All-Star averaged career-lows in points (4) and rebounds (2) last season. She missed 17 games due to an ankle injury and barely got meaningful minutes in the postseason.

The Port Jervis native noted after the season she’ll “wait and see” what her fate will be in 2024. Dolson is currently suiting up for French club LDLC ASVEL Féminin.

“I came to New York because it is my home,” she said. “I was hoping to stay here till the end of my career. But I don’t know exactly what they have planned or what’s in their head. So we’ll see.

“I love this team. I enjoyed the season.”

MARINE JOHANNÈS

Marine Johannès could’ve entered the 2024 offseason as a reserved player. Any player with three years of service or fewer will become a reserved player if their previous team extends them a reserved qualifying offer, thus subjecting the team to have exclusive negotiating rights, according to the league.

The Liberty would entertain the spark plug’s return to the team, but the WNBA’s prioritization rule makes Johannès’ return unlikely. The rule requires players to prioritize the WNBA over international leagues and first went into effect in 2023.

Johannès’, who averaged 7.1 points on 41.% shooting from the field, is currently suiting up alongside Dolson for LDLC ASVEL Féminin. Her participation in the 2024 Olympics for the French team will likely render her ineligible for the upcoming WNBA season.

“If I have the possibility to come, I will try to come. I did talk to my national team president and I told them I would be there the first day [in early June],” she said. “…For now, I will be with national team.”

JOCELYN WILLOUGHBY

Jocelyn Willoughby enters the offseason as a restricted free agent. She didn’t get much action (6.6 minutes per game) in her 29 appearances with the Libs this season. She averaged just 1.2 points per game while playing behind the plethora of All-Stars on the Liberty roster.

The guard is enjoying a bigger role with the Adelaide Lightning in Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League. Willoughby is averaging 12.4 points and five rebounds in 29.7 minutes per game with the Lightning. Willoughby returned to the Liberty in 2023 after winning one of the final roster spots after training camp. If she’s back with the team, she’ll likely be in the same position in 2024 against other training camp invitees and rookies. The Liberty currently hold the No. 11, No. 17, No. 23, and No. 35 picks in the upcoming draft.

“I would love to be with the Liberty but we’ll see what God has in mind,” Willoughby said.

HAN XU

A departure for fan-favorite Han Xu is likely. The 6-10 center’s suspended contract expired, according to HerHoopStats. The big was rarely with the Libs last season while she tended to international duties with the Chinese national team over the summer.

In 2023, she played in just eight games and averaged 1.5 points after a breakout 2022 season. Her role diminished after her breakout year and there’s no clear path to playing time on Sandy Brondello’s squad to get the center back to her 2022 averages of 8.5 points in 16.8 minutes per game.

His offseason included meetings with the rest of Liberty brass and sales pitches to a number All-Stars, including a sit-down with then-free agent Breanna Stewart in Istanbul. The offseason ended with Stewart signing — alongside Courtney Vandersloot — and a three-team deal that landed Kayla Thornton and Jonquel Jones. The offseason was deemed an overwhelming success that led to a franchise record in wins, a WNBA Finals run that came one game short of a do-or-die Game 5 in Las Vegas and with Kolb winning the 2023 WNBA Executive of the Year award.

Now, the GM has a new set of challenges for the 2024 offseason to follow up his award-winning year.

No huge splashes are expected, but he will have to maneuver deals to fit what seems to be another season with an 11-woman roster. And with the draft order now set, the team could be in a good position to acquire depth in a deep 2024 WNBA Draft.

Here are challenges that Kolb is faced with this offseason:

FINDING GREAT VALUE IN DRAFT

With the Liberty’s sixth woman Marine Johannes likely out for the 2024 season and cap room tight due to upcoming deals with Stewart and Jones (possibly), the team may have to fill a roster spot with a rookie from the 2024 WNBA Draft. The Liberty own four total picks (No. 11, No. 17, No. 23, and No. 35) in the upcoming draft.

The higher picks could be used to pick the best player available, acquire a perimeter defender or get another big in case Han Xu and Stefanie Dolson won’t be on the Liberty bench in 2024. If LSU’s Angel Reese, who missed four games due to an unexplained suspension, slips on the draft board, she would be an absolute steal for Kolb.

Realistically, Kolb could opt for a guard to bolster perimeter defense that was clearly lacking with the trio of Sabrina Ionescu, Vandersloot and Johannes on the floor simultaneously. UCLA guard Charisma Osborne is projected to be a late first-round pick and her perimeter defense would fill the Liberty’s need. The fifth-year senior was an All-Pac-12 Defensive Team Honorable Mention in the 2022-23 season. Her start to the 2023-24 season will put her in the conversation for the award again before she declares for the draft.

NAVIGATING FA MARKET WITH LIMITED CAP

The possibility of any potential deals being made in free agency is contingent on Stewart’s and Jones’ contract value. Stewart, who’ll be cored, is a lock to stay with the Liberty. Jones, an unrestricted free agent, isn’t a lock and is free to negotiate with other teams.

If Jones walks, that’ll free up cap space for Kolb to re-sign Dolson and possibly make more moves. However, the 2021 MVP said months ago she’s “definitely trending towards coming back here.” And there’s no guarantee Stewart will take another discount like she did to help put this super team together last winter.

The WNBA will kick off the 2024 season with three other matchups following the Liberty-Mystics opener: Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun, Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx at Seattle Storm. Following their opener against the Mystics, Breanna Stewart and her team will hit the road one more time before getting their first homestand of the season: May 16 at Indiana Fever, May 18 vs. Indiana Fever, May 20 vs. Seattle Storm, May 23 vs. Chicago Sky and May 25 vs. Minnesota Lynx.

All teams will be in action on the final day of the regular season on Sept. 19. On that day, the Libs will host the Atlanta Dream.

Each team will play 40 regular-season games, similarly to last season’s record number of games. All-Star Weekend, which will take place in Phoenix, is scheduled for July 19-20, directly followed by a mid-season break for the Paris Summer Olympics until Aug. 15.

The Libs, who defeated the Las Vegas Aces in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup Final, will look to qualify for the final game when it takes place on June 25 at the arena of the team with the best record in Cup play.

After three seasons of the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, the league announced changes in the tournament format for the upcoming season. Each team will now play five total Commissioner’s Cup games, one against each team in the same conference. For the Libs, the five matchups will be against the Sky, Fever, Dream, Mystics and Sun. This new format differs from the 10 games the Liberty played against in-conference opponents in 2023.

In 2024, all Cup games will be played in a two-week period form June 1-13. The Liberty’s first Commissioner’s Cup game will take place on June 2 against the Fever at Barclays Center. The team will then take on the Sky on June 4 (away), the Dream on June 6 (away), the Sun on June 8 (away) and the Mystics on June 9 (home). All Cup games will be part of the team’s 40-game schedule and will count toward the team’s regular-season win-loss record.

OTHER NOTES

The Libs’ regular-season schedule will feature three matchups against the Aces. The first matchup between the two teams will be a matinee game at Michelob Ultra Arena on June 15. The Aces will host the Libs again on Aug. 17 before the defending champions will visit Barclays Center on Sept. 8.

The Liberty and Aces met five times before the WNBA Finals last season, including the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup Game. Sandy Brondello’s squad won three of those matchups, but eventually fell, 3-1, in the 2023 WNBA Finals. 

“Welcome to the world little man,” the reigning WNBA MVP captioned a photo on Instagram of daughter Ruby holding the baby boy Theo Josep Stewart Xargay who was born Oct. 25.

“Your mama was a trooper,” the post adds, referring to Stewart’s wife Marta Xagray.

The couple previously announced the pregnancy on Mother’s Day.

Baby Theo was born a week after Stewart, 29, and the Liberty fell in the WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces. Stewart was voted as the league’s most valuable player in September.

Shortly after the season ended, Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said the team intends to “core” Stewart to keep her from entering free agency.

Stewart hasn’t decided whether or not she will play overseas during the WNBA offseason.

“Once we get into a good groove of having two [kids], which I’m not sure when that group comes, we’ll figure out the rest,” Stewart said last week before Theo was born.

China has returned as a popular destination for players after the country had been closed to international players due to its COVID-19 policy. The Israel-Hamas war has taken away a destination for WNBA hoopers that was once an option. The Israel women’s basketball league has suspended play amid the ongoing war.

And no Liberty players expressed interest during exit interviews about playing in Russia while the country continues its ongoing war with Ukraine. WNBA players are also just less than a year removed from finally seeing Brittney Griner return home after being detained for 10 months in a Russian penal colony.

Here are the Liberty players offseason plans after the franchise’s run to the WNBA finals ended with last week’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces:

WHO’S GOING

Center Jonquel Jones clearly stated where she’ll be playing this offseason.

“I’m going to China,” the star center said during exit interviews on Oct. 20. Jones hasn’t confirmed which team in China she’ll suit up for.

Forward Nyara Sabally headed to the Czech Republic the day after her exit interview to join EuroLeague team ZVVZ USK Praha. She recorded four points, five rebounds and a block in 15 minutes of action in her first EuroLeague game on Wednesday.

Sabally is “excited” to be in Prague, which she said is about a three-hour drive from her birthplace Berlin.

“Haven’t been that close to home in like six years,” Sabally said last week.

Guard Jocelyn Willoughby will be suiting up for the Women’s National Basketball League’s Adelaide Lightning in Australia. The New Jersey native made the switch to the Lightning after averaging 15 points per game with the Sydney Flame last season. The WNBL regular season starts on Nov. 1.

Marine Johannes is currently under contract with EuroLeague team Lyon ASVEL Féminin in France. Johannes helped the club win the Ligue Féminine and EuroCup Championship last season. Johannhes averaged 15 points per game and was named EuroCup MVP.

Let it shine! Han Xu, Li Meng, Wang Siyu, and other players from the Sichuan team on Tuesday received the championship rings and the banner for the 2022-23 season of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association before the tip-off of the new #WCBA season. pic.twitter.com/905Z9nMC2x

— Sports China (@PDChinaSports) October 18, 2023

Chinese center Han Xu is staying home with Sichuan Yuanda in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association. Han Xu and her teammates — including 2023 WNBA All-Rookie Team selection Li Meng — look to defend their title after lifting the team to its first-ever title last season.

ON THE FENCE

Star Breanna Stewart is unsure of her status and addressed reports of her leaning towards playing in China.

“Definitely have not committed to anything. I know China is like an option and definitely up in the air,” the 2023 MVP said.

During last week’s exit interview, Stewart said she and her wife, Marta, are expecting the birth of their second child “next week.” The two-time MVP could announce a future plan once the family settles in with the newborn.

“Once we get into a good groove of having two [kids], which I’m not sure when that group comes, we’ll figure out the rest,” Stewart said.

Forward Kayla Thornton and center Stefanie Dolson have yet to announce their plans.

STAYING HOME

Sabrina Ionescu plans on staying home and participating with USA Basketball. The guard was selected to the 16-player roster that will play exhibition games in November.

Betnijah Laney was also named to the USA team. Last week, she said she didn’t plan on playing overseas.

The Rutgers product played in every game for the Liberty this season after dealing with injuries in 2022. She was limited to just nine regular-season games that season due to undergoing meniscus surgery in her right knee before returning for postseason action.

“I think rest for my body considering the history of injuries and everything does me really well,” Laney said.

Courtney Vandersloot said she will enjoy a full WNBA offseason for the first time in her 13-year career. But, she still left the door open for a possible suitor overseas.

“My phone is always open,” the veteran guard said.