2016 WNBA Season: Key Dates

April 24: Training camps open
April 29: Preseason games begin

May 7-15: Jr. WNBA Week
May 13: Final roster cut-down date: 12 players, 5 pm ET
May 14: WNBA tip-off
May 30: Memorial Day

June: WNBA Pride Month
June 13 – 19: 2016 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament

July 4: Independence Day
July 23: Start of Olympic break

August 5 – 21: Olympics women’s basketball competition
August 24: End of Olympic break
August 26: Second half of schedule begins
August 30: Trade deadline, 8 pm ET

September 5: Labor Day and Player playoff eligibility from waivers, after midnight
September 18: End of regular season

September 21: Playoffs begin: (8) Phoenix at (5) Indiana (6 p.m. ET, ESPNews), (7) Seattle at (6) Atlanta (8 p.m. ET, ESPNews)
September 24: Second round begins: TBD at (3) New York (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV/ESPN3)
September 25: Second round: TBD at (4) Chicago (1 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
September 27:  WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon
September 28:  Semifinals begin in (1) Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and (2) Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
September 28: 2017 Draft Lottery at halftime of Game 1 of semifinals
September 30: Semifinals, Game 2: TBD at Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, ESPNews); TBD at Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET, ESPNews)

October 2: Semifinals, Game 3: Minnesota at TBD (ESPN2); Los Angeles at TBD (ESPN2)
October 4: Semifinals, Game 4 (if necessary)
October 6: Semifinals, Game 5 (if necessary)

October 9: WNBA Finals 2016 begin
October 20: Last Possible Finals Date