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WNBA’s Proposed CBA Could Create Million-Dollar Salaries — and a New Roster Problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A new Front Office Sports report lays out a major shift in how WNBA money could be distributed under the league’s proposed next CBA — and the biggest headline is simple: the league could soon have its first million-dollar base salary contract, but roster-building may get much harder in the process.
Why this is drawing so much attention
The WNBA’s reported proposal would introduce a supermax base salary of about $1.13 million, which would be 20% of a proposed $5.65 million salary cap in Year 1 of the deal. A standard max would be roughly $988,750 (17.5% of the cap).
That’s a huge jump from 2025 salary figures, when the supermax was $249,244 and the standard max was $214,466. Front Office Sports also reported the 2025 average salary at roughly $125,000.
The big debate: star money vs. middle class money
According to the report, the league’s proposal would raise pay across the board, including:
- Average salary to roughly $470,000
- Minimum salary to just over $200,000
- No separate minimum tiers for veterans vs. players with fewer than three years of experience (in the league proposal)
But the concern is how the cap gets divided.
Front Office Sports reports that while top-end salaries would surge, the structure could squeeze:
- mid-tier veterans
- team depth
- general managers trying to build championship rosters
The same report says the players’ union has proposed a much higher Year 1 cap (just under $9.5 million), while the league and union are still apart on the broader economics, including revenue sharing.
Why contenders may feel the pressure most
The report highlights how this could affect teams built around multiple stars.
Example: Las Vegas Aces (per FOS reporting)
Front Office Sports models a scenario in which four max-caliber players would eat up roughly 65% of the cap, leaving the remaining players closer to the proposed minimum than the proposed average salary.
That’s the tension at the center of this proposal: better headline salaries, but potentially thinner benches.
Other proposed roster changes to know
The two sides are aligned on some roster-related ideas, including:
- Two developmental players per team (Paid via a stipend plus per-game payments)
- A seventh guaranteed contract per team (Up from the current six)
The report also notes ongoing roster-size concerns, with the WNBPA proposing that teams be required to carry 12 players at all times.
Why this matters for fans right now
This isn’t just accounting talk — it could reshape:
- how teams keep cores together
- how contenders build around stars
- how much depth matters in a longer, more competitive league
- what “max player” and “team-friendly deal” really mean in the next WNBA era
And with the 2026 calendar looming, FOS reports the league told stakeholders a labor deal should be reached by March 10 to avoid delaying the season timeline.
Bottom line
The proposed system could be a landmark step toward true top-tier pay in the WNBA — including seven-figure base salaries — but it may also create a new challenge: how to pay stars while still building deep, title-level rosters.