The expansion draft in December gives the Valkyries the opportunity to pull off a roster move that would be exciting for fans and two players alike: the team could draft both DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith, currently of the Sun and Fever respectively, and bring together a duo that vibes together personally and professionally.
Drafting Smith is a foregone conclusion for many Valkyries observers, especially since the Fever forward has made it clear that she's not exactly happy with the direction her team has taken (or with many Caitlin Clark fans). Her contact with the team isn't up until next year, but the Fever has the option to leave her unprotected ahead of the draft and might well take it.
Rumors that the Valkyries front office is interested in Carrington have been floating around for a while now, but there's nothing concrete on the floor. It would be ludicrous for the Sun to not protect Carrington, especially since they came close to securing their entry into the Finals in 2024... unless Carrington herself has made it known that she's open to leaving Connecticut in the first place.
Of course, there's a third obvious part to this story: Smith and Carrington have been dating since their 2020-21 season at Baylor. There were rumors that they broke up in 2023, but these days it's clear they're together. The pair are currently facing a 6,500-mile separation because Smith is playing for Zhejiang in China during the off-season, and the prospect of reuniting in the same city is bound to be one they'd both enthusiastically support.
Putting the two on a team together again could be a great move for everyone involved for other reasons. While Carrington often appeared unbothered when going up against her significant other during Sun-Fever games, several fans noticed that Smith never seemed to perform at her highest potential. And though it often seems Smith would prefer to be a guard, she'd be an excellent power forward that the team will need.
With the expansion draft looming, conversations surrounding who might (and might not) get picked up by the Valkyries are reaching a fever pitch. The expansion draft is sure to be a wild ride no matter what — and adding a couple who clearly supports one another (and have a lot of fans of their pairing) could be a social media cherry on top the team could benefit from.