‘It’s Not Really A Negotiation Anymore’: Dallas Wings Star Paige Bueckers Shares New Insight Into WNBA CBA Talks
Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers didn’t dance around the state of WNBA labor negotiations when she spoke to reporters ahead of the Unrivaled semifinals Monday.
“At this point, it’s not really a negotiation anymore,” Bueckers said. “Like, both sides aren’t moving. So I feel like we need to continue to have these conversations, continue to actually have change implemented for us to move on our stance.”
Bueckers, who is coming off a Rookie of the Year season in Dallas, was direct about what the players want — and what they don’t.
“We as players, we don’t want to strike. We want to have a season,” Bueckers said. “I love playing basketball. That’s all I want to do. But again, there are things that need to be handled, and we want to do it as professionals.”
Where Negotiations Stand Between the WNBA and WNBPA
Her comments came hours after the league sent a new CBA proposal to the players’ union Sunday night, according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The proposal includes a salary cap of $5.75 million in Year 1 — up 280% from $1.5 million last season — and a jump in maximum salaries from $249,000 to $1.3 million. Average salaries would rise from $120,000 to $540,000, per the AP.
Revenue sharing remains the central divide. The league has proposed giving players more than 70% of net revenue. The union has asked for an average of 26% of gross revenue — before expenses — over the life of the deal. The league has said that the number is unrealistic.
WNBPA vice president Kelsey Plum, also in New York for the Unrivaled semifinals, said Monday that reaching a revenue-sharing framework for the first time was a hard-fought win for the union. But she stressed the players aren’t done pushing.
What’s at Stake for Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings
Bueckers has more riding on these talks than most. The new proposal includes a provision that would allow players on rookie contracts who earned All-WNBA honors to become max-eligible in their fourth year rather than their fifth. That would put Bueckers on track for a max deal in 2028.
She earned that designation as a rookie after averaging 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists across 36 games. She shot 47.7% from the field, 88.8% from the line, and was named an All-Star in her first season with the Wings.
Players who sign max extensions through the early-eligibility pathway would not be subject to a franchise tag afterward, giving them full control in free agency.
The Clock Is Ticking on a Deal
If the two sides reach an agreement by March 10, the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto would take place between April 1 and 6, per a timetable obtained by the AP. Free-agent qualifying offers would go out April 7-8, with a signing window from April 12-18. Training camps would open on April 19. The season would tip off on May 8.
More than 80% of the league’s players are set to become free agents. Without a deal, the entire offseason calendar stalls.
Bueckers made it clear she’d rather be getting ready for her second season than talking about labor disputes. But she also wasn’t about to pretend things are fine when they’re not.
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