This is how the expansion draft works

The WNBA expansion is officially here. For the first time since 2008, a new franchise will join the league next season when the Golden State Valkyries begin play.

With Golden State joining, the WNBA will hold its first expansion draft in 16 years on Friday. Since it’s been a while, we’ve put together a quick overview of how the Expansion Draft works and how it could impact the Fever and the other 11 WNBA franchises.

Each of the 12 existing WNBA teams has been asked to submit to the league office a roster list listing all players the team is entitled to as of the final day of the 2024 regular season. This list would include all players on the team’s active, suspended, draft/reserve, core and retired lists.

From this roster list, each team was allowed to name up to six “protected players” who are not available for selection in the expansion draft. Although these lists were submitted to the League and shared with the Valkyries, they will not be made public. Teams are in a position to protect players who will be unrestricted free agents this offseason.

On Friday, the Valkyries will have the opportunity to select an unprotected player from each of the other 12 franchises. You are not required to select a player from each franchise and cannot select more than one player from each franchise.

Golden State can only select one unprotected player who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. If the Valkyries select an unrestricted free agent, that player must not have previously played under a core player contract for two or more seasons. If Golden State selects an unrestricted free agent who meets these criteria, the Valkyries can designate that player as their core player in January.

What is the term “Core Player”? By designating a pending unrestricted free agent as a core player, that player will receive a one-year super-max contract with the team that owns his rights. A player can only receive the Core Player award twice in his career.

The expansion draft also presents Golden State with a few different opportunities to do business with other franchises. The Valkyries are allowed to select an unprotected player from a franchise and then trade that player to another team. Teams can also negotiate a deal with Golden State to either not select a particular unprotected player or select him from their roster in exchange for other assets.

The results of the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft will be broadcast on ESPN on Friday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET.