The WNBA preseason enters a critical phase this Saturday as eight teams take the floor for a series of evaluative contests across the country. With the regular season approaching, these games serve as the primary platform for established stars to find their rhythm and for roster hopefuls to secure their positions before final cuts are made.
ON THE SLATE
The Saturday schedule begins at Gainbridge Fieldhouse where the Indiana Fever host the Dallas Wings at 17:00Z, with the game carried nationally on ABC. Following the opener, the Las Vegas Aces face the Phoenix Mercury at T-Mobile Arena at 19:30Z, providing an early look at the defending champions on ABC. Nighttime action continues at the Target Center as the Minnesota Lynx take on the Atlanta Dream at 00:00Z on PeachtreeTV. The day concludes in the Pacific Northwest at 01:00Z, where the Portland Fire host the Chicago Sky at the Moda Center in a game broadcast by NBA TV. These contests offer coaching staffs a final opportunity to evaluate training camp invitees and refine tactical systems under live game conditions.
LOOKING AHEAD
The schedule remains active through Sunday with four additional matchups as teams continue their weekend travel. The Seattle Storm visit the Connecticut Sun at 17:00Z at Mohegan Sun Arena, followed by the Washington Mystics hosting the New York Liberty at 19:00Z at CareFirst Arena. The evening features a Western Conference meeting as the Las Vegas Aces travel to Los Angeles to play the Sparks at 22:00Z on USA Net. The weekend slate concludes with the Golden State Valkyries hosting the Phoenix Mercury at Chase Center at 00:30Z. These back-to-back appearances for teams like the Aces and Mercury will provide an early test of conditioning and bench depth before the league transitions out of the preseason phase.
FROM THE WIRE
Off-court developments include a significant update to the WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, which now mandates that teams obtain player consent before trading any player who is pregnant. This new provision addresses concerns raised by the 2023 discrimination suit involving Dearica Hamby and represents a shift toward stronger parental protections and roster stability within the league labor structure. In the commercial sector, Kelsey Plum is seeking new representation after Under Armour concluded its four-year endorsement agreement with the Las Vegas guard. Meanwhile, league-wide expectations are coalescing around the Aces, whom ESPN recently designated as the definitive team to beat for the 2026 title as the rest of the field attempts to disrupt their pursuit of consecutive championships.
The league continues its preseason evaluations ahead of the upcoming regular season tip-off.