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Kendra Andrews: BREAKING: Napheesa Collier is signing a one-year $1.4 million super max contract with the Minnesota Lynx, sources tell ESPN. She’s the third player in the WNBA to sign a super max deal.
The No. 1 pick on Monday will earn $500,000 in her first season, significantly higher than the $78,831 earned by Paige Bueckers, last year’s top pick. For the second year in a row, that pick belongs to the Dallas Wings. The No. 2 pick, heading to the Minnesota Lynx, will earn $466,913, and the No. 3 pick, going to the Seattle Storm, will get $436,016. All drafted players who end up making a team will earn more than any WNBA player did last year. The league’s minimum $270,000 salary, which second- and third-round picks would earn if they make a roster after training camp, is higher than last year’s maximum salary of $249,244.
Ramona Shelburne: Five-time All Star Kayla McBride is returning to the Minnesota Lynx on two-year, lower max salary, her agent @Ticha Penicheiro of @Priority Sports tells ESPN. In the biggest free agency of her career McBride chose to stay where she’s had the best success of her professional career. Last season McBride became the first player in WNBA history to make 100 or more 3-pointers in a single season.
Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett has agreed to reunite with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Lynx in a new, all-encompassing role involving business, community and fan-engagement efforts and content development, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Garnett and the Timberwolves will also hold his much-awaited No. 21 jersey retirement ceremony in Minnesota over the next two seasons, sources said. Garnett had been distant from the Timberwolves' organization since his playing career ended in 2016 due to a fallout with ex-owner Glen Taylor, refusing to have his jersey retired, but built a rapport with new governors Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez and the sides found common ground on a reunion.
Red Panda wasn't on the injured list for very long. The popular halftime performer is scheduled to make her NBA return on Tuesday night in Chicago when the Bulls host the Philadelphia 76ers. She broke her left wrist during a July 1 performance at the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx.
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When architect and designer Bill Baxley heard the new owners of the Timberwolves and Lynx wanted a new arena, he and his colleagues started discussing location. One Styrofoam model later, they had an idea: Build the arena kitty-corner from the teams’ current home, Target Center, on a block and a half of land near the Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue light-rail stop.
A new WNBA champion was crowned with the Las Vegas Aces solidifying their dynasty era, but not before commissioner Cathy Engelbert was publicly called out by one of the league’s preeminent stars, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier. Less than a week later, Engelbert denied Collier’s characterization of their previously private conversation, specifically that Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark should be “grateful” for the opportunities the WNBA provides her. When Engelbert took the mic at the WNBA Finals to present the Aces with their third trophy in four years, her voice was drowned out by a stadium of nearly 20,000 booing. Now, owners from other leagues are weighing in on the state of negotiations between the WNBA and the players’ union. “If you think about sports, it works when the employees and stockholders are aligned,” Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said during the Front Office Sports Asset Class summit Thursday. “The fans are our stockholders, and the players are in essence the employees. What you’re seeing now in the WNBA spilling into the public view is no bueno. It’s not a good idea.”
As Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore spent time in Minnesota in the years prior to taking ownership over of the Timberwolves this summer, one of the things the two heard often and loudly was to bring back "the trees." The new majority owners of the Wolves and WNBA's Lynx will do just that this season. The Timberwolves will bring back their iconic Black Trees Classic Edition, an alternate uniform worn from 1998 to 2008 (and donned often by Kevin Garnett) for 28 games this season: 21 at home and 7 on the road. They will debut against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 26.
"One of the things we've been obsessing over is fan experience in the arena and giving them the best in class," Rodriguez, co-chairperson of the Wolves and Lynx, told ESPN. "We polled the fans and very high on their poll was they wanted these jerseys that mean a great deal to them -- the 'Black Trees.' "And also we'll be having some more surprises in-arena and uniform stuff. But hearing the fans loud and clear is very important to us and we're trying to deliver exactly what they want."
The last time the franchise wore the black alternate jersey was during the 2018-19 season. "We've got some uniforms in our closet that fans love," said Mike Grahl, Timberwolves and Lynx chief marketing officer. "And I would say this particular one that we're bringing back is at the front of the fans' closets ... The fans continue to ask for this jersey. Anytime we do a uniform drop of any sort, there's one common word that gets echoed by all of our fans, and that word is 'trees.' "There's no other uniform in the NBA that's designed in that way. The character that it has and the uniqueness that it has, I think fans have significant energy for and they hold onto that in lore."
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Matthew Caldwell is stepping down as the business operations president of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and accepting a 10-year deal as CEO of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. The teams announced the deal. Caldwell will begin overseeing “day-to-day business operations and high-level strategic initiatives for the Timberwolves, Lynx, and (the G League’s) Iowa Wolves” on Sept. 2.
Pat McAfee: RED PANDA UPDATE We just got sent a statement from The 🐐’s team. “Thank you very much to all NBA, WNBA, Universities, media individuals and her ever supporting fans for your kindness and concern. Last night at Lynx/Fever she took a fall at the very beginning of the show, due to left paddle of her unicycle was damaged during transit, her left wrist was severely fractured at the same spot for the 2nd time. She was at the hospital for 11 hours last night. Greta and Sheridan, from Minnesota Lynx, stayed with her at the hospital the entire night for her procedure. She is very grateful. She is on her way home now and the Doctors in Minneapolis have recommended that as soon as she gets home, she meet with an orthopedic surgeon for the 2nd part of repair. Red panda, wants me to Thank all of you for the kind wishes and support, it means the world to her. She much appreciates from her heart the support she is receiving. We’ll keep you all posted” 🗣 WE LOVE YOU RED PANDA
Pat McAfee: RED PANDA UPDATE We just got sent a statement from The 🐐’s team. “Thank you very much to all NBA, WNBA, Universities, media individuals and her ever supporting fans for your kindness and concern. Last night at Lynx/Fever she took a fall at the very beginning of the show, due to left paddle of her unicycle was damaged during transit, her left wrist was severely fractured at the same spot for the 2nd time. She was at the hospital for 11 hours last night. Hilton and Greta, from Minnesota Lynx, stayed with her at the hospital the entire night for her procedure. She is very grateful. She is on her way home now and the Doctors in Minneapolis have recommended that as soon as she gets home, she meet with an orthopedic surgeon for the 2nd part of repair. Red panda, wants me to Thank all of you for the kind wishes and support, it means the world to her. She much appreciates from her heart the support she is receiving. We’ll keep you all posted” 🗣 WE LOVE YOU RED PANDA
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever received the most votes for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game and will be a team captain for the July 19 game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The league reported Sunday that Clark received almost 1.3 million votes, and will be a captain along with Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx.