2022 WNBA Free Agency: Unrestricted and Restricted Free Agents, Reserved Players, Core Players

Teams can begin to negotiate with their own Reserved Players and any Restricted and Unrestricted Free Agents on January 15. As of February 1, teams and players can finalize deals and sign contracts and offer sheets.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS – Players with five or more years of service will become Unrestricted Free Agents. An Unrestricted Free Agent is free to sign with any team, provided that they are not designated as a Core Player by their prior team. Any players with fewer than five years of service who do not receive Qualifying Offers will also become Unrestricted Free Agents.

Rebecca Allen (NYL)
Jillian Alleyne (MIN)
Rachel Banham (MIN)
Sue Bird (SEA)
Crystal Bradford (ATL)
Jessica Breland (IND)
Cierra Burdick (SEA)
Liz Cambage (LVA)
Emma Cannon (IND)
Tina Charles (WAS)
Layshia Clarendon (MIN)
Nia Coffey (LAS)
Sophie Cunningham (PHO)
Blake Dietrick (ATL)
Stefanie Dolson (CHI)
Candice Dupree (ATL)
Sylvia Fowles (MIN)
Reshanda Gray (NYL)
Tiffany Hayes (ATL)
Briann January (CON)
Angel McCoughtry (LVA)
Leilani Mitchell (WAS)
Astou Ndour-Fall (CHI)
Sonja Petrovic (PHO)
Theresa Plaisance (WAS)
Allie Quigley (CHI)
Angel Robinson (PHO)
Karlie Samuelson (SEA)
Odyssey Sims (ATL)
Alanna Smith (PHO)
Breanna Stewart (SEA)
Kiah Stokes (LVA)
Shekinna Stricklen (ATL)
Courtney Vandersloot (CHI)
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (WAS)
Courtney Williams (ATL)
Elizabeth Williams (ATL)
Riquna Williams (LVA)
Shavonte Zellous (WAS)

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS – Players with four years of service can receive Qualifying Offers to become Restricted Free Agents. Restricted free agency gives the player’s prior team the right to sign the player by matching a contract offer from another team (Right of First Refusal). If the player signs an Offer Sheet with another team, the player’s prior team has four days from the date it receives the Offer Sheet to determine whether it wishes to match. If the offer is matched, the player will remain with their prior team. If the offer is not matched within the four-day period, the player will be under contract with the offering team.

Lindsay Allen (IND)
Monique Billings (ATL)
Lexie Brown (CHI)
Jordin Canada (SEA)
Diamond DeShields (CHI)
Myisha Hines-Allen (WAS)
Kia Nurse (PHO)
Mercedes Russell (SEA)
Stephanie Talbot (SEA)
A’ja Wilson (LVA)

RESERVED PLAYERS – Players with three or fewer years of service can receive Qualifying Offers to become Reserved Players. The Reserved Player’s prior team has exclusive negotiating rights.
Te’a Cooper (LAS)
Anna Cruz (MIN)
Temi Fagbenle (IND)
Bernadett Hatar (IND)
Stephanie Jones (CON)
JiSu Park (LVA)
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (NYL)
Victoria Vivians (IND)

CORE PLAYERS – The Core designation gives a team exclusive negotiating rights with a player. Starting in 2022, a player is not eligible to be given a Core designation if they have played pursuant to a Core player contract for two or more seasons. 
Kahleah Copper (CHI)
Jonquel Jones (CON)
Jewell Loyd (SEA)