The Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty have been at the top of the standings all year after meeting in last year’s WNBA Finals. By every measurement possible, they are the two best teams in the WNBA. Still, with veteran general managers and coaches, they both have shown that the best teams don’t stand pat and hope their good fortune will continue.
The Liberty struck first, officially signing Belgian superstar Emma Meesseman last week. She hadn't played in a WNBA game since 2022 as she focused on building up the Belgian national team, which just repeated its EuroBasket title. She also won two EuroLeague titles and two EuroLeague MVPs in her time away from the WNBA. Meesseman is a skilled, smart player who elevates her teammates, and signing her was a huge boon for New York.
The move was especially prescient as Breanna Stewart went down with a bone bruise on her knee on June 26; she currently has no timetable for a return. On Sunday against the Connecticut Sun, Meesseman scored 11 points in her 2025 debut in 17 minutes, showing some rust early but appearing more comfortable in the second half.
“I think just giving them some minutes, some glue, moving the ball, hitting people open. Just beautiful basketball, being a part of that already in New York,” Meesseman said after the game. “One of my mottos is to keep it simple. If it works, it works. If you see someone open and they cut, give them the ball and get a layup. It’s easy.”
Just a few hours earlier, the Minnesota Lynx made a big move to strengthen their roster, trading for the Wings’ Dijonai Carrington, who was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2024 and was on the first All-Defensive Team. Minnesota sent Diamond Miller and Karlie Samuelson to Dallas, as well as a 2027 second-round draft pick, in exchange for Carrington.
The move came one day after Napheesa Collier left the Lynx's blowout win over the Aces with an ankle injury. According to ESPN, Collier is expected to miss two weeks with the injury. Similar to Stewart, Collier is the heart of her team, and she will be missed as her 2025 MVP campaign gets put on hold. This makes Carrington’s arrival even more important.
Minnesota is already strong on defense, leading the league by a healthy margin in defensive rating at 95.1. But Carrington will give them even more of a bite on defense, as her play can be downright menacing to opponents. She’s also already played with Lynx players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman when all three were in Connecticut.
While it remains to be seen how these moves will play out for the Liberty and Lynx — less than a week removed from their first Finals rematch of the season — the fact that both teams have been so aggressive shows they both expect to play for the title. Fans will not have to wait long to see how Meesseman and Carrington impact their respective teams, because for reasons that only the WNBA scheduling gods know, the Lynx and Liberty will face off three more times in a span of 10 days this month. Though with the Lynx likely without Collier for that stretch, it will be difficult to determine how well-matched these teams really are.
Performer of the week: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Playing without Breanna Stewart, the New York Liberty struggled, losing consecutive games to the Sparks, Wings, Lynx and Sun over the last week and a half. On Sunday, playing in Connecticut, Sabrina Ionescu came alive. She scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the Liberty break their losing streak in a 87-78 win over the Sun.
Game of the week
Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury, Thursday, 10 p.m. ET on League Pass: This is one worth staying up late for. Indiana has hit a hot streak at the right time, winning five straight ahead of Tuesday night's matchup with the Sparks, even without Caitlin Clark. Phoenix, meanwhile, has been struggling, losing five of its last seven. The two teams are both battling for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, with the Mercury holding a slight advantage, so Thursday’s game could be key for tiebreakers.
Yahoo Sports power poll
1. Minnesota Lynx (24-5)
2. New York Liberty (18-10)
3. Atlanta Dream (18-11)
4. Indiana Fever (17-12)
5. Phoenix Mercury (17-11)
6. Seattle Storm (16-13)
7. Las Vegas Aces (15-14)
8. Golden State Valkyries (14-14)
9. Los Angeles Sparks (12-15)
10. Washington Mystics (13-15)
11. Dallas Wings (8-21)
12. Chicago Sky (7-21)
13. Connecticut Sun (5-22)
Comments