Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers looks on during the second half against the Phoenix Mercury. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings, WNBA enter unusual free agency period

Originally posted on Dallas Wings on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 5:36 PM ET

The Dallas Wings and the rest of the WNBA are in the middle of a lockout, but that doesn't mean free agency hasn't started.

Front Office Sports reporter Annie Costabile explained the reasoning behind the weird ruling.

"The glitch in the system is the result of the Jan. 9 deadline passing with no deal, no agreement to an extension, and no work stoppage, which pushed negotiations into a period of status quo. This means that both sides can continue negotiations under the conditions of the current CBA," Costabile wrote.

"Qualifying offers, including core designations—similar to the NFL franchise tag—could begin being sent out on Jan. 11. Restricted qualifying offers are sent to free agents on an expiring contract with four years of service or a player finishing the fourth year of their rookie scale contract. This offer—which comes with a one-year contract and gives the player’s previous team the right to match any competing offer—prevents them from becoming unrestricted free agents and designates them a restricted free agent."

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Wings could sign free agents, but won't

While free agency around the league can take place under the league's latest collective bargaining agreement, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart explained why the WNBA will wait until a new collective bargaining agreement is agreed upon before signing free agents.

“They might be going out because that’s how it’s written,” WNBPA VP Breanna Stewart said via Costabile. “We have pretty standard messaging across the PA and the EC of making sure we’re all on the same side of not signing anything because if you sign that you’re going to be locked into those numbers. Everybody is in a holding pattern right now.”

The league owners and player's association are working closely on a new deal, but it remains to be seen when the two sides will agree on a new collective bargaining agreement.

This article first appeared on Dallas Wings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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