The Golden State Valkyries might not have drafted every marquee WNBA star the team hoped to attract during free agency, but that doesn't mean the Bay Area team is feeling down. In fact, owner Joe Lacob said as the team unveiled their new state-of-the-art practice facilities on February 5, there is a lot to feel good about.
"We have unlimited resources to make this the best place in the world," Lacob pointed out to ESPN. But all that money can still make things "challenging" as the team moves into its inaugural season. "We are a startup. We have no players that we are starting with, so I think that in itself, not to mention we're the first expansion team since 2008, it is challenging."
Lacob's comments came one day before the team signed Tiffany Hayes to a $200,000 deal, a move that helped firm up the team's potential starting 5. Hayes averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and a 3-pointer percentage of 40% last year for Las Vegas. Those stats are an excellent foundation for Golden State, who have the space to allow Hayes to build the expansion team from the ground up.
The Valkyries are "building from the ground up"
Lacob, GM Ohemaa Nyanin, and Head Coach Natalie Nakase have repeatedly emphasized that the team is building from essentially nothing — a point that Nyanin also again hit on at the unveiling. "We have put our best foot forward to talk to athletes and tell our story about where we are and where we're going," she told ESPN. "We are building from the ground up and we want them here. But we only want them here if they want to be here."
Lacob hasn't put a lot of pressure on the front office to make this first season an overwhelming success, according to a source that spoke with ESPN. Though he has clearly stated he hopes to win a championship within the first 5 years, it's equally clear he's willing to take his time getting there.
CBA negotiations will make a difference ahead of the 2026 season
Golden State is also already looking ahead to the 2026 season, which will happen after the league has negotiated a new CBA with its players — something that will definitely have an impact on where players decide to go during next year's free agency, when the majority of the league will be available.
While details of the potential new CBA have not been openly discussed, it's expected to include increased salaries, improved benefits (ie parental leave and retirement plans), better facilities (Golden State is already miles ahead here), and an equity-based economic model for the league as a whole.