Staying or leaving? A player-by-player look at the Minnesota Lynx

Cheryl Reeve stated that despite the successes of the recent season, the Lynx’s main focus moving forward will continue to be on building from within and developing players.

“We might explore certain options in free agency,” said the team’s president of basketball operations and coach on Thursday. “But we are not banking on finding a magic solution in free agency.”

The Lynx entered the season with the sole expectation of player development. Over the 40 games, Napheesa Collier climbed to all-league status, chemistry developed between her and Kayla McBride, and rookies Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhász showed growth, propelling the team from missing the postseason in 2022 to an 0-6 start in the current season, and ultimately securing a playoff spot.

While there may not be a magic solution, it’s undeniable that Reeve and the Lynx will have ample flexibility to adjust the roster.

Heading into next season, the Lynx only have six players under contract: Collier, McBride, Miller, Juhász, Tiffany Mitchell, and Jessica Shepard. Currently, based on herhoopstats.com, the Lynx are estimated to have $641,942 of salary cap space for the 2023 season out of the $1,420,500 WNBA salary cap.

Part of that space will likely be allocated to re-signing free agents the team wants to retain, but some of it could also be used to enhance the roster for a team looking to make the leap from the 6th seed into championship contention.

Considering this, here’s a look at potential player returns and departures:

NAPHEESA COLLIER

Salary: $202,154

Status: Signed through 2025 season.

Season: After appearing in just four games in 2022 following childbirth, Collier underwent an intense offseason conditioning regimen to get back into game-ready shape. She finished fourth in WNBA scoring (21.5), sixth in minutes and seventh in rebounds (8.5) and steals (1.6), and earned a spot on the league’s all-defensive second team.

Looking ahead: Already a standout, Collier is expected to continue her upward trajectory.

KAYLA McBRIDE

Salary: $201,984

Status: Signed through 2025.

Season: Her 14.3 points per game marked her highest in three seasons with the Lynx, and she notably improved as the season progressed. McBride averaged 16.6 points in her final 14 games and 18.0 points in the playoffs. Equally significant was her substantial growth as a leader.

Looking ahead: With McBride and Collier set to play together in Turkey, their chemistry is expected to flourish.

AERIAL POWERS

Salary: $201,984

Status: Unrestricted free agent.

Season: In a free-agency class that also brought Achonwa and McBride to Minnesota, Powers struggled to gel with the coaching staff and was limited by injury. She played in 20 games, didn’t start in any, and averaged a career-low 5.2 points.

Looking ahead: Powers has expressed her intention to join another organization next year as communicated on social media.

Salary information sourced from spotrac.com.