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

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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 hold the negotiating rights to them.

Can the Liberty lure top free agents?

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Out of all free agency rumors swirling around, one of the most prevalent links the Liberty to Satou Sabally. As the Dallas Wings star revealed in an Unrivaled press conference last week, she has played her last game for Dallas. In order to get as much as they can in exchange for Sabally, Dallas decided to core her, with the intention of working with her to find a good trade.

New York is a good fit for Sabally—for many reasons. The first and most obvious being that her sister Nyara currently plays for Liberty, having gained a larger role on the team in the past year. The sisters are quite close and have played together on other teams before, including in college and also on the German National Team. She could also reunite with Sabrina Ionescu, who she also played with at Oregon. Satou has expressed desire to be on a team that is contending for a championship, as well. New York, having won it all last season and with their Big 3 all (pretty much) locked in for this year, fits that description. Finally, Satou’s position and style would work for the Liberty. She is a dynamic 4, meaning she has the size and strength to play in the post. The Liberty could very easily slide her into a lineup with Vandersloot (if she re-signs), Ionescu, Stewart and Jones.

The question is what New York would have to give up for Sabally. The asset most likely to be traded here is Laney-Hamilton, along with picks or rights to other players that the Liberty own. There could also be a multi-team trade, with another franchise jumping in to make it all work out.

There’s also the question of whether New York re-signs it’s own free agents, such as Vandersloot and Kennedy Burke. If Sloot signs elsewhere, the Liberty might need to prioritize filling the point guard position. Primary ball handlers on the market include the Indiana Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell, as well as the Chicago Sky’s Dana Evans, who is a restricted free agent.

So, what’s going to happen?

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If I had to guess, I’d say the Liberty do things in this order:

• See if they have a chance to re-sign Vandersloot
• Deal with their qualifying offers
• Make Dallas an offer for Sabally and see if something can be figured out
• If Sabally doesn’t get traded to New York, shop the rest of the free agent market
• If Sabally does get traded to New York, address lingering needs with remaining cap space in free agency and then determine how to proceed in the draft

*Thanks to Her Hoop Stats for all roster information and salary numbers.