What happened: Minnesota, Washington, Golden State, Las Vegas, Dallas, Indiana, Atlanta and the New York Liberty make up the projected field. Washington's easier remaining schedule and 2027 pick swap with Chicago strengthen its position at No. 8.
Why it matters: Connecticut is projected to finish with the top lottery odds. Indiana faces a tighter financial window with Kelsey Mitchell approaching free agency and raises looming for Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
By the numbers: Four losses separate No. 8 Washington from Portland, Toronto and Los Angeles; Chicago and Phoenix are another two losses back. The WNBA produced eight in-season trades over the past two seasons.
What to watch: The trade deadline arrives Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. ET. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese each have seven technical fouls, putting suspensions into the second-half calculus.