After a stellar Year 1 in Karl Smesko's system, the Atlanta Dream brought in Angel Reese to add to what is an emerging championship contender. Atlanta-based USA TODAY Senior WNBA Reporter Meghan L. Hall joins Tyler to discuss everything that has led to the Dream using 2026 as a year to launch themselves into championship contenders.

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This past offseason consisted of the Indiana Fever re-signing Kelsey Michell and Aliyah Boston. Other than that, there were no major additions to a team led by Caitlin Clark. Still, that gives the Fever - a team that was seconds away from advancing to the WNBA Finals - two MVP candidates in their first legitimate quest for a WNBA Championship.

Also addressed are the expected improvements on the defensive side, mostly through their minor offseason additions; salary cap constraints; how much of a factor the No. 10 overall pick, Raven Johnson, will be; and how realistic a championship for Indiana is.

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If it weren't for the Chicago Sky trading Angel Reese, the Rickea Jackson trade would have been the biggest blockbuster move of the offseason. The Los Angeles Sparks shipped off their star third-year player for veteran presence and improvement on defense. That set the table for a 2026 season that projects the Sparks to leap forward.

The Sporting Tribune's Rey Moralde joined the show to dissect why the Rickea trade was made. Tyler and Rey also discuss Nneka Ogwumike coming back home in free agency, how the moves will make Kelsey Plum more of a distributor on offense, Rae Barrell's growth, the non-controversy surrounding Cameron Brink and debate the true ceiling of the team.

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It was a free agency that could have been transformative for the Phoenix Mercury. Instead, the Mercury focused on continuity in their offseason plans despite the loss of All-Star Satou Sabally.

Pair that with the Mercury's focus on international scouting and Aya Abdeen reports that Phoenix is high on their aspirations for 2026. Last season, the squad made it all the way to the WNBA Finals, led by superstar Alyssa Thomas. Just the presence of AT on the squad will probably be enough to keep this team in the mix come the postseason.

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This Minnesota Lynx season will be defined by both Napheesa Collier's injury and her revealing conversation with NPR. But despite being without Phee for a month AND losing two starters in Alanna Smith and Bridget Carelton, Minnesota is still a team with the coaching and star power to be a contender come the playoffs.

Other topics include a disappointing free agency, where the team fell short in luring other key players to Minnesota and a star new point guard on the roster in Olivia Miles.

NPR's full story and interview with Napheesa Collier: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/05/nx-s1-5793789/napheesa-collier-wnba-salary-increase-womens-sports

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Beyond just Paige Bueckers and adding her girlfriend, Azzi Fudd, the Dallas Wings roster has massively improved. Not just from a talent standpoint, but also from a roster construction perspective, that brought in Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith and Lynx teammate Jessica Shepard.

Tyler breaks down how this could be the building block season for the Wings that will propel them to not only success this year, but beyond as they build a core around Bueckers and Fudd. Playoffs should be the baseline goal for the season and there is reason to be optimistic for me.

Listen to more on the Paige and Azzi relationship pod -
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paige-bueckers-speaks-on-relationship-with-azzi-fudd/id1895276693
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ffavLT7s8pPM3gjvrlURG

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What an inaugural season it was for the Golden State Valkyries, surprising everyone by making the WNBA Playoffs and finishing .500 in the standings. This year, they have another tall task ahead of them and Marisa Ingemi, who covers the Valkyries for her independent publication Valkyries Beat, joined Bleav in the W, to project what they can do this year.

The big focus is that Golden State brought nearly everyone back from last season's squad, including a healthy Kayla Thornton. Is the defense going to be good enough to make up for the talent gap, like it was last year? Then there's a deep discussion in the Flau'Jae Johnson draft pick trade and why the Valkyries HAD to trade the pick to make the cap space all work out. We wrap things up with a discussion on how Marisa thought this could be a breakout season for Kate Martin, who was waived following the recording of this podcast.

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Marisa's story on Kate Martin: https://www.valkyriesbeat.com/p/valkyries-insider-is-this-kate-martin-s-breakout-season

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Many folks have mixed opinions on how the Chicago Sky approached their offseason, centering their moves around the decision to trade franchise centerpiece Angel Reese. But when you look at last year's roster and compare it to this year's, there's no doubt they improved and doing so in every position up and down the roster.

Trading Reese will give Kamila Cardoso the space to take a leap forward. Azura Stevens will come in with All-Star aspirations. Rickea Jackson is now the young centerpiece and of course, there will be the veteran playmakers of Skylar Diggins-Smith, Natasha Cloud and Courtney Vandersloot guiding the way. All of those stars project them to be a playoff team, but I have them on the outside looking in. They need to make that postseason run, though, because GM Jeff Pagliocca and head coach Tyler Marsh may be on the hot seat.

Stay all the way to the end for a projected starting lineup, all players who are either All-Stars or could be shaping up for an All-Star season.

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