In February Marina Mabrey requested a trade from the Connecticut Sun and set off a chain of events that remains confusing and unresolved.
That Mabrey wanted to leave the Sun wasn't really a surprise. She requested a trade from the Sky in 2024 because she wanted to pursue a title; as of 2025, the Sun has lost its entire starting bench (Alyssa Thomas went to Phoenix, Ty Harris and Dijonai Carrington to Dallas, Brionna Jones to Atlanta, and DeWanna Bonner to Indiana). The team Mabrey signed with effectively doesn't exist anymore.
But (and there's always a but), the fact remains that Mabrey still signed a multi-year contract and many a GM is not inclined to just let a player walk because they want to — at the very least, if Mabrey leaves, the Sun justifiably will want to get their investment in her back.
Enter: the Golden State Valkyries
Golden State has a unique opportunity to swoop in and save the day for everyone, including themselves. The team still has plenty of cap space heading into the 2025 WNBA Draft and could comfortably pick up three rookies and sign Mabrey to a contract and even end up with money to spare. The Valkyries are also facing a possible summer exodus in June, when at least six of the athletes signed to the team will travel back home overseas to participate in EuroBasket for at least two weeks.
There is still time for the Valkyries to work out some kind of deal with the Sun. Golden State needs a hot-handed player who has veteran experience and can guide a group of relative newcomers and/or young athletes, and Mabrey needs to be respected. The Valkyries can offer some of the best facilities in the league, ownership that is happy to throw a tremendous amount of money at a team, and the opportunity to build a team's culture from the ground up, which isn't something a lot of WNBA players get to do.
There is, of course, an elephant in the room: Mabrey has made it clear that she wants to win, and it's not entirely likely the Valkyries will pull off a championship run in their first season. If Mabrey is willing to be patient and help a grow a team, she could find an environment where she is supported and valued in the Bay Area. If the championship is her most important priority (and understandably so), that could be the one element keeping her from exploring the move.