With all of the players that the Golden State Valkyries waived over the weekend clearing that process on Tuesday, those players were able to sign contracts with any team. The team announced early on Wednesday that they were signing Miela Sowah to one of the two spots for development players that each team is allowed to carry. There was some thought that they would fill both slots now, but three former players ended up signing that type of contract with other teams. One further move still needs to be made for the team to get to a roster that they can carry for the rest of the season.
Miela Sowah
The first player to ever sign a contract for a development spot for the Valkyries was Miela Sowah after her impressive shooting display in their lone preseason game. Her original signing was not one of the more expected moves of the offseason, but her continued development in her professional career earned her the chance after not being considered a WNBA prospect after her time in college. While she has that professional experience in a leading role for her team, she is still young enough to have not reached her full potential and the extended audition makes sense.
There is a limit to how many games that Sowah will be able to be active for during the season under her current contract and her salary will be dependent on her status for each game. These contracts are not guaranteed so teams can replace those players or upgrade them to regular contracts. For the first two weeks of the season, no other team can sign her to a contract. After that, they can offer her a regular contract, but the Valkyries would be able to match that deal and retain her.
Marta Suarez
There was definitely plenty of expectation that the Valkyries would quickly lock up two of the players that they waived in these spots as long as they cleared waivers. Marta Suarez was at the top of the list when it came to projections, having been the first draft pick for the team this season. Instead, the news came that she would be signing with the Phoenix Mercury as a development player. While she will not have the same level of familiarity with them, their roster is still in a bit of flux right now with other players having limited training camp time too and that could get her some early chances to be active for games. It is impossible to discuss this move without bringing up the Valkyries trading back in the draft and using one of the acquired picks to select Suarez and it certainly appears that Golden State is not going to get any direct value out of this portion of the trade.
Ashlon Jackson
The other draft pick that the Valkyries signed this year is also heading to another team without appearing in a regular season game for the team. Ashlon Jackson signed a development player deal with the Connecticut Sun, which could also give her a favorable path this season. The team will definitely start their season without two of their guards and the expectation that they will not even be in playoff contention this year could see them make moves later in the season to give other players roster spots.
Mariella Fasoula
After being given the least amount of time in the preseason game, there were some questions about the plans for Mariella Fasoula, who was the oldest rookie that the Valkyries brought in during the offseason. She ended up signing a development player deal with the Toronto Tempo. While the team does have several established post players, they also have a rotation that is far from set as an expansion franchise, so she should have her chances to impress. Like the Valkyries last year, they are trying to have a strong debut season, so signing a player in her prime with extensive international experience makes sense to give themselves winning chances early.
Second Development Spot
All of Wednesday’s moves still leave the Valkyries with one more development player spot to fill. There were four other players who participated in training camp who remain free agents, although it would be more expected that the players who were waived earlier were further away from contention for a roster spot. Golden State could also sign a player who did not make another team’s roster as more players continue to be waived ahead of the deadline. As demonstrated by the Valkyries, that can include players who were drafted pretty early and were considered serious prospects. The other move that might involve a player with more familiarity with the team if they sign whichever player that they waive to get to a final legal roster. That strategy does run the risk of another team claiming them off of waivers or signing them to a regular contract first.
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