The WNBA Expansion Draft hasn't kicked off yet, but several media outlets have reported that Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces) and Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty) will be heading to San Francisco next season.
Expansion Drafts are known for being disruptive, and this one is proving to be no different. The Athletic reported the news this afternoon and cited a "source brief on the decision."
Martin, who was a surprise second round draftee this year, was a favorite of both her Aces teammates and the organization's fans throughout the 2024 season. She was often cited as Caitlin Clark's right hand woman when the two played at Iowa and together the pair helped lead the Hawkeyes to two back to back national title games.
While it's true that Martin didn't always get a lot of play time with the Aces, her teammates made it clear how beloved she was. Many had speculated that she would be be the fifth or sixth protected player after A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray.
Thornton was a huge part of the team that helped clinch the Championship for the Liberty in a franchise first. She will bring a veteran edge to a a team that will certainly need one, and she and Valkyries GM Ohemaa Nyanin, previously the assistant GM of the Liberty, have a close relationship and have clearly worked well together seasons past.
This will be the 32-year-old Thornton's fourth WNBA team. She wasn't drafted in 2014 but signed with the Mystics the following year for 10 games. She returned to the league in 2017 with the Wings, and was traded to the Liberty in 2023.