Since the 2022 WNBA season, the Minnesota Lynx has gone from a playoff team to the lottery, then to a playoff franchise, and even a contender to the WNBA championship. In the years of reconstruction, that’s fast (believe me, I’m a fan of Toronto Raptors). So, when the Minnesota Lynx began the 2024 WNBA season, many thought it was still too early for this team to hold. The WNBA community showed that by putting them basically on all pre -season power classifications in the market.
That should have the leg the last time someone doubted Cheryl Reeve.
Last year’s season became a wild success for Lynx. His Star Naphesa Collier officer not only returned to his level of play since before giving birth, but he was quickly exciting that level of skill and making a case for MVP. The pieces that had legs were added to the team in Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith fit perfectly into the ecosystem. Bridget Carleton was transforming from a player to the star before our eyes. People took a minute to finally see the vision, but when the Lynx won the final of the Copa of the Commissioner against the Freedom of New York, the WNBA as a whole began to see this team as real contestants.
Then they got better. When leaving the Olympic break, Minnesota was in a tear, winning 14 of his 16 games to finish the season to land in second place in the classification. They reached the WNBA finals before New York defeated them in a heartbreaking game 5 that was as controversial as exciting.
With its holders still hired until 2025, Lynx did not have much work to do in the low season. They lost Cecilia Zandalasini for the expansion draft of Golden State, and any Myisha Hines, all against free agency. They signed Natisha Ilicanmann and added Grace Berger, Christyn Williams, Marieme Badiane, Kiara Leslie and Camryn Taylor to the training camp contracts. Dorka Juhasz, Diamond Miller and Alissa Pili will return for the training camp. The exchange of his first round this season to Washington by Karlie Samuelson, and then recruited Anastasiia Kosu, Dalayah Daniels, Maia Hirsch and Aubrey Griffin.
Time is marking thought. The WNBA season is short compared to a NBA season, and to compete with the Libertys and Aces of the League, you must be in your best game. If Lynx cannot return to the level of excellence that they exhibited last year, they may have no other change to do so.
Many teams are in the same situation, given the collective bargaining agreement that expires. With that end after this next season, many players have specifically expired their contracts at the same time. In this way, when you sign new contracts in free agency, they will be signed in the New Deal, under the new salary amounts.
The Lynx core, Naphesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith, are in contracts that expire. He won means that they will necessarily leave, but who knows if the LYNX can pay them what everyone deserves under a new salary limit. The chemistry that this team has been undeniable, and also one or two of this nucleus that will leave the dynamics of a team at the championship level.
However, they are not the only team in this situation, since most players who had the capacity and leverage to do so made their contracts end after the 2025 season. However, it is almost almost the time is being exhausted for this iteration of the Minnesota Lynx to win a championship. They have not won one since 2017, when both the franchise and sport as a whole were in a very different place. All the other “super” team of this was current, Vegas and New York, basically, have At least A championship under its belts before all the dynamics of the WNBA changes next year.
The good thing for Minnesota is that this team is not only good, but also tried and tried it. Last season they arrived until the end, and there could be (many will say that they should have won everything. All they have to do is play as if they knew how to play. Collier’s performance in the unparalleled Low Seasonal League only demonstrates that somehow he is still improving, and the other main members also come just from the low season game. Hopefully he has won any break to shake.
The Lynx 2025 will surely play with a chip on the shoulder after the 2024 season ended for them, but it seems that bets are higher than ever. If you can know them, you will determine whether this is the year they take over the championship that enter the reach of the arm or last season.