WNBA: Can the New York Liberty acquire Satou Sabally?

As the WNBA prepares for the free agency period to begin, the New York Liberty are going to be busy. The 2024 champions have many expiring contracts, but will also be contenders for some high-ranking free agents.

After a look at where the Liberty stand entering free agency, let’s break down the decisions facing the organization:

Facts and figures*

Players under contract (contract status; 2025 salary)

• Marquesha Davis (unprotected; $71,753)
• Leonie Fiebich (unprotected; $68,595)
• Sabrina Ionescu (unprotected; $208,600)
• Jonquel Jones (protected; $195,000)
• Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (protected veteran; $185,400)
• Nyara Sabally (unprotected; $79,999)

Free agent (type; 2024 salary)

• Kennedy Burke (unrestricted; $76,535)
• Ivana Dojkić (reserved; $64,154)
• Rebekah Gardner (reserved; n/a)
• Marine Johannès (reserved; n/a)
• Jaylyn Sherrod (reserved; $30,488)
• Breanna Stewart (unrestricted; $205,000)
• Courtney Vandersloot (unrestricted; $194,670)
• Han Xu (contract expired)

Total salary of free agents: $570,847

Total team salary: $808,807

Cap space: $698,293

Unsigned draftees (2025 salary)

• Marine Fauthoux ($64,438)

2025 WNBA Draft picks (2025 salary)

• Round 1, No. 7 ($75,643)
• Round 3, No. 38 ($66,079)

NY’s core, qualifying offer decisions

The core designation is something unique to the WNBA. Each team has the capacity to “core” one player on their roster. This means the team holds the exclusive negotiating rights for that player. A specific player can only be cored twice by their team, though. Once those two cores are over, they are ineligible to be cored.

Last season, the Liberty cored Breanna Stewart, and it’s been reported that they plan to do the same this season. As usual, she will likely only sign a one-year deal, not only because she intends to ride out this core designation, but the upcoming CBA negotiations also will contribute to a trend of one-year deals around the league. While Stewie could certainly get the max amount of money New York could offer her, she likely will sign below that in order to help the team sign free agents.

Per Madeline Kenney of the New York Post, in addition to coring Stewart, the Liberty intend to extend qualifying offers to Ivana Dojkić, Rebekah Gardner, Marine Johanès and Jaylyn Sherrod. This means the team will…