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Toronto Tempo Mock Expansion Draft

If you’ve been a Raptors HQ reader for a while, you’ll know that I started my tenure here by fantasizing about who in the WNBA I would love to see on a Toronto WNBA roster. Four years later (time flies!), we are actually about to go through the process of an expansion draft for the WNBA’s first Canadian team, the Toronto Tempo.

I thought it would be fun to do a mock expansion draft for the Tempo and introduce Toronto fans to a few players who may be available for the team to draft. Now, this comes with a caveat: there hasn’t been much released on the rules of the upcoming expansion draft. To make things easier, I will use the rules from last year’s WNBA expansion draft, when the Golden State Valkyries began building their first-ever team. Things will be different this year simply because two teams will be in the draft instead of one, with both Toronto and Portland selecting their first players. Let’s get into it.

When the Valkyries had their expansion draft in 2024, the other 12 teams in the WNBA were allowed to protect six players from being taken. Teams could protect players they had the rights to, and could only select one player in the entire league that was set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent. That player would be given the Core Designation.

We don’t know if the rules are going to be the same in 2025. There is a lot that is different about this year’s draft, with two teams in the mix, so many players in the league going into free agency, and a new Collective Bargaining Agreement not yet signed. Who knows if the core designation will even exist in the new CBA? Yet, for this exercise, I am going to go with the same rules as 2024, because I can. So, here are the rules of this draft:

Only one UFA can be selected by each team, and that player can not have been cored more than once in their WNBA career.

The existing 13 WNBA franchises can protect six players from being selected.

Teams can protect any player they have the rights to.

The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will take on the existing contract of any player they select.

Other than the two Core players, UFAs are not eligible for the expansion draft

Protected Players

Let’s go through who I think each team will protect from being selected in the expansion draft. Shoutout to Her Hoop Stats for their incredible team cap sheets for the assist on these.

Indiana Fever

Protected Players: Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Chloe Bibby, Lexie Hull, Mikayla Timpson

The Indiana Fever, based on the info I’m seeing on their team cap sheet, only have 5 players they can protect. The decision becomes very easy, given that Boston and Clark are still on their rookie contracts, and they are instant protections. Timpson is also on a rookie contract. The Fever have Bibby on a reserved free agency deal, meaning they retain her negotiation rights in free agency, and if they have the space, why not protect her and figure it out once they make more free agency signings? Hull is their sole Restricted Free Agent, meaning they own her negotiation rights and will likely protect her as well.

Atlanta Dream

Protected Players: Te-Hina Paopao, Taylor Thierry, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, Sika Kone, Nyadiew Puoch

The Atlanta Dream will likely protect their 2025 rookies in Paopao and Thierry. Howard and Hillmon are Restricted Free Agents, so they can protect them to retain their negotiation rights. Sika Kone is reserved for next season. The Dream drafted Nyadiew Puoch 12th overall in 2024, and she has yet to come over from Australia to play in the WNBA, but the Dream have her rights. She seems like a great young player, is only 21 years old currently, and could very well come over to the WNBA in the future.

Chicago Sky

Protected Players: Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Hailey Van Lith, Maddy Westbeld, Sevgi Uzun, Ajša Sivka

The Chicago Sky are in the middle of a rebuild, so they have a few more young contracted assets to protect. Cardoso and Reese still have 2 more seasons on their rookie contracts, so they are an instant protect. Even with all of the rumours surrounding Reese’s future with the Sky, they won’t let her go for nothing in return. If she leaves Chicago, it would be through trade and not the expansion draft. Van Lith and Westbeld are their 2025 rookies, and they have Uzun reserved for 2026. Ajša Sivka was drafted 10th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft and was the Sky’s highest-drafted player. While she did not come over to play in the WNBA this season, she likely will in the future, making it important for them to protect her rights.

Connecticut Sun

Protected Players: Aneesah Morrow, Aaliyah Edwards, Saniya Rivers, Leila Lacan, Rayah Marshall, Olivia Nelson-Ododa

This year’s Sun rookies, Morrow, Rivers, Lacan and Marshall are all locks for protection. Sorry, Toronto fans, Canadian Aaliyah Edwards will very likely not be left unprotected for expansion. She has 2 years left on her rookie deal, and after the Sun traded away Jacy Sheldon to get her onto their roster this season, they aren’t just going to let her go. Nelson-Ododa is a restricted free agent next season, so if the Sun can keep her, they will.

Dallas Wings

Protected Players: Paige Bueckers, Diamond Miller, Maddy Siegrist, Azaiha James, JJ Quinerly, Luisa Geiselsöder

The Wings are obviously not leaving their No. 1 draft pick in Bueckers available to be scooped up. Yet, the Wings are one of the only teams with real choices to make when it comes to protection. Their non-rookies on rookie deals, Miller and Siegrist, are the obvious first choices after Bueckers. Luisa Geiselsöder had a great season for the Wings, and I could see them wanting her back, as she is currently reserved for next season. Then you have their other 2025 rookies in James and Quinerly, who they drafted, and I could see them wanting to keep. Yet, they also have Li Yueru, Haley Jones, and Grace Berger reserved for next season as well…

Golden State Valkyries

Protected Players: Carla Leite, Kate Martin, Veronica Burton, Justė Jocytė, Cecilia Zandalasini, Janelle Salaün

The Valkyries are on the other side of the draft this year. Martin and Leite are on rookie contracts, easy protection choices. Burton, who is their bona fide leader and could win Most Improved in the WNBA this season, is a restricted free agent next season, as is Zandalasini. The team used their first-ever draft pick, the 5th overall in the 2025 draft, to pick Justė Jocytė, who is another protection lock despite not coming over this season. Salaün is a reserved player and has been great for the Valkyries this season.

Las Vegas Aces

Protected Players: Aaliyah Nye, NaLyssa Smith

The Aces don’t have the rights to enough players to protect the full six they are allowed. Their 2025 rookie in Nye is the obvious choice, and Smith is a restricted free agent. Two solid choices for Vegas, who will be very active in free agency.

Los Angeles Sparks

Protected Players: Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sania Feagin, Rae Burrell, Julie Allemand

The Sparks have four players on rookie deals in 2026: Brink, Jackson, Barker and Feagin, all easy choices to protect. Rae Burrell is reserved for LA, while Allemand is an RFA, so they could protect both of them as well. Easy decisions for LA.

Minnesota Lynx

Protected Players: Dorka Juhasz, Anastasiia Olairi Kosu, Maria Kliundikova, Jaylyn Sherrod, Aubrey Griffin, Maia Hirsch

As always, Minnesota has put itself in a great position for the future. Juhasz took the season off from the WNBA, but she is still on contract for next season. Kosu is on a rookie deal after being drafted this year. The Lynx have Kliundikova and Sherrod reserved for next season, and then they have the rookie rights to Griffin and Hirsch. They drafted Griffin in 2025 and Hirsch in 2023.

New York Liberty

Protected Players: Nyara Sabally, Leonie Fiebich, Marine Johannes, Betnijah Laney Hamilton, Rebekah Gardner, Adja Kane

The New York Liberty have two players on rookie-scale contracts in 2026, Sabally and Fiebich, who are big parts of their team. Johannes is reserved for next season, and after Laney Hamilton’s contract was suspended this season due to injury, the Liberty hold her sole negotiating rights in 2026. Gardner is another reserved player, and Adja Kane is a player that has been drafted and the Liberty have the rights to.

Phoenix Mercury

Protected Players: Kalani Brown, Lexi Held, Monique Akoa Makani, Kathryn Westbeld, Natasha Mack, Kitija Laksa

Brown is the only player the Mercury have on a full contract next season, and they have reserved Held, Akoa Makani, Westbeld, Laksa and Mack. Pretty easy decisions to protect and then see what your roster looks like after other players like Alyssa Thomas or Kahleah Copper are signed (or not).

Seattle Storm

Protected Players: Dominique Malonga, Lexie Brown, Jordan Horston, Nika Muhl, Mackenzie Holmes, Zia Cooke

Their No. 2 overall draft pick in Malonga is safe from expansion, obviously. Brown is on contract next season, and they have the space to protect her, so it seems they may. Horston and Muhl are two younger Storm team members who have been out with injury this year, but Seattle suspended them and kept them on contract for next season. They have a lot of potential, and the Storm will likely want to protect both. Holmes has been in and out of the Storm’s lineup this season, as has Zia Cooke, and both are reserved for next season. It could be another case of protect now, figure out later.

Washington Mystics

Protected Players: Shakira Austin, Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron, Georgia Amoore, Jacy Sheldon, Lucy Olsen

The Mystics are one of the only teams that have to make real choices about who to keep protected and who to leave unprotected here. Their 2025 rookies in Iriafen, Citron and Amoore are obviously locks, and Olsen has impressed in her rookie season as well. Austin is a restricted free agent, and the team traded Aaliyah Edwards for Sheldon, meaning they probably want to protect her as well.

Core Designation Players

These are UFAs who have not been cored more than once in their careers. These teams will choose these players with the intention to core and sign them in free agency. They need to be realistic about who they can get to come to a first-year expansion team. This is someone who you’d hope to be a big part of the team’s identity and core, someone who could grow into a leader for the team.

Toronto Tempo: Bridget Carleton

This is a little bit of a big swing on my part, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. Carleton is not only Canadian (Chatham, ON), but is just hitting the peak of her career. She is currently the No. 1 option for the Canadian National Team when she joins them for competition. Bringing her on as the Tempo’s first “franchise leading veteran” gives the team an instant fan-favourite, but also adds a lot to their roster. She has been a starter on the league-leading Minnesota Lynx for the past two seasons, playing most of her career in Minnesota. She is a tough defender and can shoot the three well.

Now, I can see the Tempo having conversations here before making this choice. If Carleton and the Lynx want to continue their relationship, and Carleton isn’t yet ready to move on, they may respect her wishes. Yet, she could make history with the first Canadian team in the league. It feels like a great choice for the Tempo.

Portland Fire: Dana Evans

Dana Evans is a great candidate for the Fire’s core designation, as a fantastic guard who has been in that “sixth player” role in Las Vegas. She impressed in her rookie season with the 2021 Championship Chicago Sky, and has been solid in the minutes she has gotten on the Aces. She’s ready to move into a bigger role, and Portland would be the perfect opportunity for her to lead a team.

Expansion Draft

We are gonna go team by team in alphabetical order, flipping back and forth between who gets the first pick between Toronto and Portland.

Atlanta Dream

Toronto selects: Isobel Borlase (Australia, player rights)

Portland selects: Maya Caldwell (reserved)

Chicago Sky

Portland selects: Aicha Coulibaly (Mali, player rights)

Toronto selects: No selection

Connecticut Sun

Toronto selects: Haley Peters (RFA)

Portland selects: Mamignan Toure (reserved)

Dallas Wings

Portland selects: Li Yueru (reserved)

Toronto selects: Haley Jones (reserved)

Golden State Valkyries

Toronto selects: Laeticia Amihere (reserved)

Portland selects: Iliana Rupert (reserved)

Indiana Fever