Blockbuster Unrivaled trade sends 4 WNBA stars to new teams: key details
Courtney Williams is headed for the Lunar Owls, Natasha Cloud will join the Phantom, and Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes go to the Laces in an unexpected preseason trade.
Unrivaled — the new professional 3-on-3 basketball league taking place in Miami — tips off on January 17th. But, on Saturday evening, just a few weeks before official game action begins, three clubs have engaged in a multi-team trade involving 4 WNBA stars.
The Laces are trading Courtney Williams to the Lunar Owls in exchange for Natasha Cloud. Then, the Laces are trading Cloud and the final wildcard spot to the Phantom, in exchange for Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes.
Williams was one of the Minnesota Lynx’s top players en route to a WNBA Finals appearance this past fall, averaging 13.9 points and shooting 44.4% from three throughout the postseason.
Cloud, an All-Defense player for the Phoenix Mercury, is one of the best two-way guards in the league — she averaged 11.5 points and 6.9 assists this past season.
Jackie Young, a Las Vegas Aces guard, was a critical member of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Paris, while Tiffany Hayes is fresh off a Sixth Player of the Year season.
TRADE ALERT pic.twitter.com/0lh6ztX5qX
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) December 22, 2024
As a result of the three-team trade, the Laces, Lunar Owls, and Phantom will all have new rosters:
Updated Lunar Owls roster: Napheesa Collier (Lynx), Courtney Williams (Lynx), Skylar Diggins-Smith (Storm), Allisha Gray (Dream), Shakira Austin (Mystics), and Cameron Brink (Sparks, will only play beginning 2026).
Updated Laces roster: Jackie Young (Aces), Tiffany Hayes (Aces), Kayla McBride (Lynx), Alyssa Thomas (Sun), Kate Martin (Valkyries), and Stef Dolson (Mystics).
Updated Phantom roster: Satou Sabally (Wings), Marina Mabrey (Sun), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Natasha Cloud (Mercury), Katie Lou Samuelson (Fever), and a wildcard spot (to be announced).
The other three rosters — the Vinyl, Mist, and Rose — remain unaffected by the three-team trade.
Vinyl roster: Arike Ogunbowale (Wings), Rhyne Howard (Dream), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Jordin Canada (Dream), Rae Burrell (Sparks), and Dearica Hamby (Sparks)
Coached by Teresa Weatherspoon
Mist roster: Jewell Loyd (Storm), DiJonai Carrington (Sun), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Courtney Vandersloot (Liberty), Rickea Jackson (Sparks), and Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics)
Rose roster: Chelsea Gray (Aces), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Angel Reese (Sky), Brittney Sykes (Mystics), Lexie Hull (Fever), and Azura Stevens (Sparks)
As of Saturday, December 21t, five of the six Unrivaled club rosters have been finalized —with only the Phantom awaiting the final wildcard roster spot. That spot is likely to be announced ahead of the league’s tip-off next month.
Unrivaled promises players an average salary of at least $222,222, in addition to revenue-sharing and player equity. The league, heavily focused on player development, offers players state-of-the-art amenities. Games will take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays for 9 weeks, on TNT and TruTV.