The Golden State Valkyries got bad news on the injury to Monique Billings and had to quickly make a move to add a player before their game in Chicago. After she was briefly able to return in Tuesday’s game, she had to exit again and has now been ruled out for at least the next three weeks. With another long-term injury, Golden State was able to ask for a hardship exception to carry more than twelve players on their roster for now. The limited time and logistics constraints had the Valkyries opting to sign league veteran Kaila Charles to a 7-day contract.
Kaila Charles
Golden State’s choices among free agents were likely limited by who was immediately available to play a game in Chicago on Friday. They were able to bring in a player with plenty of experience in the league in Kaila Charles. After not playing in the league last season, she signed a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings this season and made the final roster. She played eleven games for the team before they waived her to make other roster moves, but immediately signed a replacement contract with them since they also qualified for a hardship exception. She played six more games before they no longer qualified for the exception and she was released to become a free agent again.
Charles played at Maryland in college and was drafted in the second round by the Connecticut Sun in 2020. She played two seasons for them before being waived in 2022 at the end of training camp. She then signed as a hardship player for the first time with the New York Liberty after clearing waivers, but was released before playing a game. The Atlanta Dream signed her on the same kind of contract at the end of the season, but she only played in one game. As a free agent, she signed with the Seattle Storm in 2023 and made it out of training camp, but she was waived after playing in four games.
Like many other WNBA players, Charles has consistently played overseas during the offseason, including time in Israel and Russia. After her initial exit from the WNBA, she even played in Mexico during the WNBA season rather than wait for another opportunity. She then signed with DVTK in Hungary and the length of her season there rendered her ineligible to play in the WNBA last year due to the league’s prioritization rules. She was only able to play this season because she already had an existing contract with Dallas at the end of her season in Hungary. A destination for her after her WNBA season ends has already been announced as she will head to Reyer Venezia in Italy.
Her Debut
There was some expectation that the Valkyries might target a taller player for their extra roster spot, but the other injuries before the game actually meant that a wing made some sense. Charles entered the game for the first time midway through the second quarter and showed no fear, taking two three-pointers and making one of them. She returned in the second half and continued to blend well into the system, scoring immediately. The trust was clear as she played in the closing lineup and helped seal the win. Her current contract would cover the next two games too.
Hardship Contracts
There are a number of criteria that can be used to qualify a team for a hardship exception to the usual roster or salary cap rules in order for teams to be able to field viable lineups for games. Based on the timing of various announcements, the Valkyries likely qualified because of a second long-term injury to a player after Monique Billings joined Kayla Thornton on the sidelines. They are now allowed an extra player until Billings is healthy enough to return. Kaila Charles was signed to a 7-day contract and they would be allowed to sign her to two more such deals.
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