The WNBA is set to usher in an era of significantly increased player salaries, thanks to the newly ratified collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Both the WNBA players and the board of governors unanimously approved the seven-year CBA. General managers are already working to build their teams for the upcoming season, with expansion drafts for Toronto and Portland on April 6, followed by free agency on April 7 and the collegiate/overseas draft on April 13.
Projected Salaries Under the New CBA
The new CBA brings historical gains in player salaries for 2026 and beyond. In 2026, the salary cap will be $7 million per team, a substantial rise from the $1.5 million cap in 2025. Here’s a look at potential salaries for different player tiers:
- Elite Veteran: Could reach $1.4 million (supermax)
- Average Veteran: Estimated around $583,800
- Max Salary: $1.19 million
Impact on Elite Players: A’ja Wilson Example
A’ja Wilson, the Las Vegas Aces’ center, exemplifies the potential earnings for elite players under the new CBA. Wilson, who will be 29 at the start of the upcoming season and have eight years of WNBA experience, had a 2025 salary of $200,000. Her projected salary for 2026 is $1.4 million, a supermax deal.
Wilson has averaged 21.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in her career. The Las Vegas Journal-Review reported the Aces are eager to sign Wilson to a supermax deal. Last season, Wilson took a pay cut from the supermax, which was then $249,244, to help the Aces afford the championship roster around her. In 2025, guard Jewell Loyd was her team’s highest-paid player at $249,032.
The cash value for various league awards is also increasing. A fifth MVP award for Wilson this season would be worth $60,000, compared to $15,450 last year.
The Value of Reliable Veterans: Alanna Smith
Alanna Smith, a 6-4 forward, provides an example of how the new CBA could affect other players. Smith’s 2025 salary was $150,000, and her projected 2026 salary is $600,000. The WNBA is listing the “average” salary as being $583,800 in 2026, which is an estimate.
Smith was drafted No. 8 in 2019 and has become a reliable veteran. She spent four seasons establishing herself before she really clicked with the Chicago Sky as a starter in 2023. The past two seasons, she has been a big part of the Minnesota Lynx, helping them make the WNBA Finals in 2024 and earning co-Defensive Player of the Year with Wilson in 2025.
The specifics of veteran salaries will become clearer as general managers build their teams under the new CBA.