As the WNBA Finals unfolded, a new proposal for the next collective bargaining agreement has surfaced, and it’s left stars like Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and Angel Reese deeply disappointed.
Players have been clear about what they want: a pay model that evolves in step with the league’s rapid growth and provides transparent, guaranteed compensation rather than conditional increases.
Minnesota Lynx star and WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier recently voiced her frustration, saying players need a stronger voice in decisions about pay, officiating, and player safety.
But Front Office Sports reported Friday that the WNBA‘s most recent offer does not include a first-year supermax salary reaching $1 million. Instead, the league has proposed a top salary “closer to $850,000,” with a veteran minimum near $300,000 in the first year.
For comparison, the NBA‘s top earners, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum, make more than $60 million annually.
That means even the WNBA‘s biggest names would earn less than two percent of their NBA counterparts’ salaries.
While this represents a notable increase from the current agreement, which sets the supermax at $249,244 and the three-year veteran minimum at $78,831, players argue the new figures still fail to reflect their growing value to the sport.
Sources say the league’s proposal maintains the existing structure that requires revenue triggers to activate significant profit sharing, a system many players feel is outdated and restrictive.
Even WNBA legend Candace Parker has weighed in, pointing to a strained relationship between players and league leadership. She remarked that she and others “have a better relationship with NBA commissioner Adam Silver than they do with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.”
Engelbert, who has overseen notable progress in sponsorship and viewership metrics, said she was “disheartened” by the criticism but remains determined to repair communication and trust.
The timing of this dispute, however, complicates matters, as the current CBA is set to expire on October 31. With no extension yet guaranteed, the possibility of a lockout looms.
If the reported $850,000 figure holds true, players will soon have to decide whether the tradeoff between higher salaries and the league’s growth-based pay structure is acceptable.
A’ja Wilson lands third WNBA championship with Aces victory over Mercury
Wilson capped off a historic season by leading the Las Vegas Aces to their third championship in four years as she scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 in Game 4 to complete a Finals sweep.
Wilson became the first player in league history to win the regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season.
“It’s surreal,” Wilson said after the game. “Every year we set the bar higher, and this one means everything.”
Wilson converted 17 of 19 free throws and earned her second Finals MVP award, her first coming in 2023 whilst Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray each added 18 points, while Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans combined for 22.
The Aces hit 12 three-pointers and committed just seven turnovers. On the other side of the court, Phoenix‘s Kahleah Copper tallied a career playoff-high 30 points before fouling out, and Alyssa Thomas notched her 10th triple-double of the season with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
However, the Mercury struggled without Satou Sabally, who missed the game due to a concussion suffered in Game 3.
Wilson averaged 28.5 points and 11.8 rebounds throughout the Finals, narrowly missing a fourth straight double-double.
Her leadership, consistency, and defensive intensity have cemented her status as one of the defining figures of this WNBA era.
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