WNBA makes minor changes in latest response to players as CBA negotiations reach 11th hour

The WNBA on Friday officially responded to the players union’s collective bargaining agreement proposal Friday — three days after blasting the Women’s National Basketball Players Association’s latest offer as “unrealistic.” 

As CBA negotiations reached the 11th hour and threatened to delay the start of the 2026 WNBA season, the league made only a few minor changes regarding housing and retirement benefits.

The WNBA has agreed to offer housing for all players in 2026, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiation.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to the media before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals series with the Las Vegas Aces playing host to the Phoenix Mercury in the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. TNS

Starting in 2027, though, team-funded housing will only be offered to select groups of players.

The WNBA is offering studio apartments for the two new developmental players throughout the lifetime of the agreement.

Meanwhile, players on minimum salary and those with zero years of service would be provided one-bedroom apartments through 2028.

Players who are traded midseason would get hotel accommodation for up to 30 days, sources said.

In comparison, NBA players who are traded midseason are reimbursed for the cost of a five-star hotel room for up to 46 days, per the NBA CBA.

And, among other expenses covered, players can be reimbursed for either rent or mortgage in their new city for up to three months after the trade. 

After the players union made a significant jump in its revenue-share demand in the last proposal, with the WNBPA demanding an average of 27.5 percent share in gross revenue, the WNBA’s offer remains relatively unchanged. 

The league made a slight change to how team expenses are calculated, but a source told The Post that it wouldn’t have a significant impact on players’ salaries.

The WNBA is currently offering players a share in 70 percent of net revenue (defined as revenue after expenses). But players want a percentage tied to gross revenue, which is the number before expenses.

Based on the WNBA’s projections, players would still receive less than 15 percent of gross revenue. The WNBA’s proposed 2026 salary cap remains at $5.65 million. That means there’s still roughly a 12.5 percent gap in gross revenue share between the two parties and a $3.85 million difference in proposed salary caps.

The WNBA improved one aspect of retirement benefits, offering former players who played eight or more seasons a recognition payment of $4,500 per year of service, sources said.

The WNBA, however, didn’t engage in player proposals regarding the season’s start date, the number of games, the length of rookie scale contracts, reserved players, salary protection limits for teams, or reimbursements for mental health. The WNBA also didn’t respond to the WNBPA’s demands regarding core designation and league prioritization.

The WNBA is scheduled to tip off its 30th season on May 8, but still needs to hold two drafts and free agency before camp opens April 19.

Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty handles the ball against the Washington Mystics during a regular season matchup at Barclays Center. Michelle Farsi/New York Post

Breanna Stewart, speaking exclusively with The Post ahead of Unrivaled’s March 2 debut at Barclays Center, said she hoped the WNBA and players union could participate in an “actual negotiation period” where the two sides “go back and forth about numbers and benefits and stuff like that and do that at a quicker pace than we’ve done for the past however many months.

“It’s been exhausting physically and mentally,” Stewart continued. “But we want to make sure that we get the best possible CBA out of this and we negotiate as well as we can but we all know that time is not on our side anymore and I think that needs to be something that’s mutually seen in the entire room.” 

Stewart said for the season to remain on schedule, a deal would need to be done within the next two weeks. 

Asked about her optimism Friday, before the league sent its response, Stewart said, “Right now, I don’t know.”