> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Storm Free Agency Recap: Good, Bad and Ugly From Transformational Signing Period - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/storm-free-agency-recap-good-bad-ugly/ - Published: 2026-04-13T20:49:58.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:15:11.000Z - Author: Connor Benintendi - Tags: Analysis, Storm, Sonia Raman, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, Brittney Sykes, Erica Wheeler, Natisha Hiedeman, Jade Melbourne, Stefanie Dolson, Dominique Malonga, Lexie Brown, Zia Cooke, Mackenzie Holmes, Jordan Horston, Katie Lou Samuelson, Ezi Magbegor \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4429"\] ![ Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) dribbles upcourt against the Golden State Valkryies in the third quarter in game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/innesota-lynx-guard-natisha-hiedeman--282-29-dribbles-upcourt-against-the-golden-state-valkryies-in-the-third-quarter-in-game-two-of-round-one-for-the-2025-wnba-playoffs-at-sap-center--mandatory-credit-3a-david-gonzales-imagn-images-format-original.jpg) Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) dribbles upcourt against the Golden State Valkryies in the third quarter in game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images \[/caption\] It’s hard to say the dust has settled on an [expectedly tumultuous free agency period](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/seattle-storm-free-agency-tracker-signings-departures-and-rumors) for the Seattle Storm, especially with the team rolling straight into a four-pick menu in Monday’s WNBA Draft. The Storm are going to look very different just one year after a disappointing 23-21 finish in 2025 that saw them eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces for the second straight season. Seattle’s veteran core of Nneka Ogwumike (LA Sparks), Skylar Diggins (Chicago Sky), Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries), Erica Wheeler (LA Sparks) and Brittney Sykes (Toronto Tempo) has dissolved. Center Ezi Magbegor and forward Dominique Malonga are the only primary contributors from last season who will return. Jordan Horston and Katie Lou Samuelson, who were with the Storm in 2025 but out due to torn ACL injuries, will hopefully remain healthy and contribute. Former reserved free agents Mackenzie Holmes and Zia Cooke are on training camp contracts, and Lexie Brown remains under contract. That’s all that will carry over from last year’s roster. Whether by design or as a result of the head coaching change this offseason, the Storm are on the way to a rebuild. ### **New additions** - G Natisha Hiedeman (2 years, $1.525 million) - C Stefanie Dolson (1 year, $750k) - G Jade Melbourne (1 year, $500k) ### R**e-signed players** - C Ezi Mabgegor (3 years, $3.75 million) - F Katie Lou Samuelson (2 years, $840,000) - F Mackenzie Holmes (training camp) - G Zia Cooke (training camp) ### **Previously under contract** - G Lexie Brown - G/F Jordan Horston - F Dominique Malonga According to Spotrac, the Storm have [approximately $2.253 million remaining in cap space](https://www.spotrac.com/wnba/cap?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) heading into the WNBA Draft. Seattle’s four rookies will likely eat up more than $1.2 million of that remaining space, at least temporarily. Only the No. 3 overall pick will have their salary protected. Of course, the draft will provide much more intel into the direction the team is trending, but free agency has already answered a lot of the offseason questions that were still looming before last week. There’s a lot to unpack about how it all played out for the Storm. ### **Diggins, Ogwumike and Williams cannot be replaced** It was obvious that after two seasons of underachievement, Diggins and Ogwumike were likely to depart at 35 years old. That became even more likely when Noelle Quinn was fired and Sonia Raman was brought in. The duo heaped praise on the culture Quinn created in the locker room and appeared tied to that regime. On top of that, the Storm needed at least a minor rebuild, and their career timelines simply didn’t align with the roster in Seattle. Sure, they could’ve tried to reload and make another run at the playoffs, but it would’ve put the front office’s desires to build for the future on hold another year. Ogwumike was the team’s primary leader in 2025 and its best player. Diggins was the spark who could change a game in an instant. Still, at their age, the Storm had to see the writing on the wall that they needed to find those elements elsewhere. Williams was the biggest surprise. Although she did struggle offensively down the stretch of the season and in the playoffs, Williams is arguably the best two-way player in the league and is still 29 years old. The re-signing of Magbegor, a defensive specialist who lacks offensive aggressiveness, suggests Raman wanted a defensive anchor next to Malonga. But if the emphasis is on defense, and Raman believes she can facilitate a better scheme than Quinn — the Storm allowed the second-most points in the paint per game in 2025 (38.2), among other poor numbers — then why not retain the player with a more well-rounded skill set instead? Horston’s return is the only logical conclusion to allowing Williams to walk, as those two play a similar role. That doesn’t mean Horston can have the same impact immediately, but the franchise is putting its faith in Horston’s continued development after a major injury. ### **Punting on the Sykes trade** \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="6544"\] ![ Seattle Storm guard Brittney Sykes (20) dribbles the ball while defended by Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/seattle-storm-guard-brittney-sykes--2820-29-dribbles-the-ball-while-defended-by-golden-state-valkyries-guard-veronica-burton--2822-29-during-the-first-half-at-climate-pledge-arena--mandatory-credit-3a-steven-bisig-imagn-images-format-original.jpg) Seattle Storm guard Brittney Sykes (20) dribbles the ball while defended by Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images \[/caption\] When the Storm traded a first-round pick, Zia Cooke and Alysha Clark to the Mystics for Sykes on Aug. 5, they were coming off back-to-back losses to begin the month that included surrendering a double-digit lead to the Sparks in an overtime loss. Sykes was supposed to be the piece that pushed the Storm over the edge to competing for a WNBA title. Instead, Sykes never seemed to fully settle in, and the Storm were staring at a 17-18 record by mid-August. They won six of their nine games to conclude the regular season, but were bounced by the Aces in the first round of the playoffs. Sykes is now headed to Toronto on a two-year, $2.38 million deal — way over the price tag the Storm should and likely would pay to bring her back. Sykes played 17 total games with the Storm, deeming the rental a failure. But that’s going to happen in professional sports. This is actually more of a credit to general manager Talisa Rhea for still putting the team in a position for a top-3 pick this offseason, even after making a regrettable trade in 2025\. The trade was a sunk cost, and they didn’t need to try to overpay Sykes to compensate for it. ### **Does new deal solidify Magbegor staying with Storm long-term?** The contract and preceding core designation suggest Magbegor will be staying put. Quite frankly, there may be no other team in the league that would award her a similar deal that the Storm did. (Though there have been some questionable deals around the league as teams acclimate to the new salary cap.) At $1.25 million per year, Magbegor is currently the highest-paid player in the league, and she’s only been an All-Star once (2023). The four All-Defensive awards are major nods to Magbegor’s skill set, but you have to wonder if she’s already near her ceiling. Magbegor’s AAV will fall down the list once players start receiving full supermax deals, but the point stands. The Storm gave her the keys once before in 2023, and her production spiked, but the team was bad. Rhea and Raman must be holding out hope that she can emerge as a true superstar. It’s hardly a tradable contract, which means Magbegor is likely staying put. If Raman fulfills her reputation as a coach, she may be able to unlock another level in Magbegor’s game. ### **Hiedeman acquisition could be Storm’s best move** The Storm’s backcourt needs work, and that’s the area they’re expected to add to with the No. 3 overall pick. But the signing of Hiedeman is a sneaky good move for the Storm. If you only look at her season-long averages, Hiedeman’s numbers suggest the Storm brought in a role player who has the potential to start. It’s much more than that. Over the final five games of the 2025 regular season, Hiedeman was given a much bigger role with the Minnesota Lynx and averaged 18.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals. When put in the right role, Hiedeman can produce at a high level both offensively and defensively. She’s not considered an elite passer, either, but has proven she can distribute effectively in spurts. If that becomes a consistent output, Hiedeman could potentially run the point for the Storm full-time if they don’t get a player like TCU’s Olivia Miles in the draft. It would be interesting to see how a [duo of Azzi Fudd and Hiedeman could work](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/seattle-storm-2026-wnba-draft-preview-azzi-fudd-olivia-miles), with neither being a true point guard but both possessing elite shooting skills. We won’t have to wait long to know if that’s the combo the Storm will employ. Seattle’s other free agent additions, Jade Melbourne and center Stefanie Dolson, will likely come off the bench as depth options. Dolson, 34, provides the team with cheaper veteran wisdom than players like Ogwumike and Diggins would have cost. ### **What to expect in 2026** Regardless of who is taken at No. 3, the Storm are unlikely to be contending for a playoff spot in 2026\. This is a clear rebuild year as they look to acquire talent and develop the younger players on the roster. Whether that results in them at the bottom of the league or the middle of the pack may depend on who the top draft pick is and how quickly they adapt to the WNBA level. Magbegor, Malonga, Horston, Hiedeman and the incoming rookie selection will be the core, at least in 2026\. How far that takes them is the outstanding unknown.