The Golden State Valkyries’ 2026 WNBA schedule has been released, but clarity around the team’s second season remains elusive. Ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between the league and the players’ union have stalled key offseason processes, leaving coach Natalie Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin unable to fully plan for Year 2. Until a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is finalized, the franchise cannot reshape its roster, engage in free agency, or determine which players to protect ahead of another expansion draft.
The previous CBA expired on Jan. 9 after several extensions, and free agency remains frozen while negotiations continue. The primary sticking point has been revenue sharing, and the lack of resolution has created widespread uncertainty across the league. For Valkyries fans, this has meant unanswered questions about roster construction and delays in ticket availability for the upcoming season at Chase Center, though the release of the schedule now allows ticket sales to move forward.
Assuming a new agreement is reached, Golden State will play a 44-game regular season, split evenly between home and road contests. The Valkyries are set to open the season May 8 in Seattle against the Storm before hosting the Phoenix Mercury on May 10. A 17-day pause in September has been built into the schedule to allow players to compete in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. The team’s longest homestand will span four games from late May into early June, while two extended road trips in July and late August will limit home appearances during a lengthy midseason stretch.
Training camp is scheduled to begin April 19, shortly after the WNBA Draft, where Golden State holds the eighth overall pick in a three-round selection process. Reflecting on last season, the Valkyries saw limited immediate impact from their top draft picks. First-rounder Justė Jocytė chose to remain in Europe for international competition but is expected to join the team this year. Other draft selections experienced roster turnover, though Kaitlyn Chen eventually returned midseason and contributed as a depth option at point guard.
Despite the uncertainty, early signs suggest some continuity on the roster. Most Improved Player Veronica Burton enters the offseason as a restricted free agent, giving Golden State the right to match any offer, and her importance during last year’s playoff run makes her retention likely. All-Star Kayla Thornton, sidelined by a knee injury, is also technically a free agent, but her inclusion in the schedule announcement hints at a return. Still, with expansion teams in Toronto and Portland preparing to enter the league, the number of players Golden State can protect remains unknown, leaving the futures of key rotation contributors very much up in the air.
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