The next WNBA season is set to start on May 15, and the first preseason game is scheduled for May 2. However, some of the women hoping to make the roster for the season have already been cut before the first contest.
According to SB Nation, as teams look to finalize their rosters in preparation for a championship run at the end of the season, two teams have already cut players without the opportunity to observe their performance in an actual game.
The Las Vegas Aces have sent two players packing about a week before the first preseason matchup. The first person cut from the team was Elena Tsineke on April 24. Although she was drafted in 2023 by the Washington Mystics, she has yet to make it to the regular season with any WNBA team. This may not be her year either. Several days later, on April 30, the team waived Jordyn Jenkins to begin trimming their roster for the 12-woman squad they will have for the start of the season.
The Connecticut Sun brought out their scissors this past weekend when the team waived Morgan Maly on April 26. The team signed her to a rookie-scale contract the previous week. Two days later, the Sun made two more roster moves when they waived Mya Hollingshed and Abbey Hsu.
All teams must finalize their rosters by 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 15. The season officially begins on Friday, May 16, and will run through the summer until Sept. 11.
According to the WNBA, this year marks the highest number of games teams will play, with a record 44 games.
The preseason starts on May 2 with a doubleheader airing on the ION network, featuring the debut of this year’s No. 1 Draft Pick, Paige Bueckers, who the Dallas Wings selected. She and her new team will face off against the Las Vegas Aces at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on the University of Notre Dame’s campus.
The second game will feature the Chicago Sky playing against the Brazilian Women’s National Team. The match will be played at LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Angel Reese’s alma mater, and Sky’s second-year player.
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