WNBA Player News

Clark’s return to play opened with a bang after being out for five games. With 1:30 left in the first quarter, Clark scored 9 points off three straight three-pointers in 47 total seconds to tie the game up at 24 apiece. Clark would hit three more three-pointers in the first half including a 31-foot step-back trey over the outstretched arms of Breanna Stewart. Half of those first half made threes were from over 30 feet deep. Clark’s second half was quieter on the scoring front, but she still found ways to impact the game. Six of her nine total assists all came in the second half, finding Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull for open shots in addition to hitting Aliyah Boston cutting to the basket on the inside.

The Dream are without second-leading scorer Rhyne Howard, who has a left knee injury. However, instead of Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Caldwell will slide into the starting lineup. She’s worth a look in deeper fantasy leagues, but that’s about it. Atlanta’s other four starters are unchanged.

Cloud is back after missing New York’s most recent game with a hip injury, prompting a change to the team’s starting lineup. With the veteran guard available, Kennedy Burke will head to the bench. Also available is Isabelle Harrison, who will take on her usual reserve duties after missing time with a knee injury. Neither Harrison nor Cloud is under a minutes restriction for Sunday’s game.

Howard injured her left knee during Friday’s loss to the Fever. While she did return to that game to begin the second half, the injury will keep Atlanta’s second-leading scorer out for at least one game. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough was the replacement in the starting lineup the last time Atlanta was without Howard, and she may receive another opportunity to start against the Liberty.

Davis, the 11th overall pick in the 2024 draft, played nine games for the Liberty this season and averaged 3.8 minutes per game in 29 total appearances. The WNBA’s midpoint deadline is Sunday at 5 p.m. Eastern, after which unprotected contracts become guaranteed for the rest of the season. Waiving Davis gives the Liberty additional salary cap and roster flexibility, especially with the trade deadline less than a month away.

Ogunbowale has been out since July 2 with a left thumb injury, and her return gives the Wings a needed infusion of offense. With the veteran scorer back in the lineup, rookie Aziaha James heads to the bench. While she will remain a key part of the Wings’ rotation, dropping to the bench does lower James’ fantasy upside.

Talbot, who logged consistent rotation minutes throughout June, saw her minutes decrease significantly in Golden State’s last two games. After logging six minutes in a July 7 loss to Atlanta, she was a DNP-CD for Saturday’s loss to the Sparks. Golden State’s returning multiple players from national team commitments factored into the decrease in playing time. The expected arrival of Iliana Rupert likely influenced Sunday’s transaction, as the Valkyries needed to free up a roster spot.

Russell appeared in 20 games for the Sparks this season, serving as the primary backup to Azurá Stevens. In those appearances, the 2018 second-round pick averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.2 minutes per game. The decision to waive Russell gives the Sparks added roster flexibility in the short term. And with Cameron Brink closing in on a return from her torn ACL, the 6-foot-6 post was likely to get squeezed out of the rotation.

Pili, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, could not carve out a consistent role for herself in two seasons with the Lynx. In 14 appearances off the bench this season, the forward averaged 1.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game. Sunday is the final day teams can waive players on unprotected contracts before their salaries for the remainder of the season become guaranteed. Also, this move gives Minnesota additional roster flexibility.

Young got back on track vs. Golden State after an unspectacular performance on Thursday against the Mystics. The veteran guard picked her spots throughout and shot efficiently en route to her first 30-point game in over a month. In addition to her scoring success, Young served as a reliable playmaking option for Las Vegas, finishing in a tie with Chelsea Gray for the most assists on the team. Saturday was easily one of Young’s best performances of the season, and her production, after a slower start to July, was a welcome sign for fantasy managers. She’ll have an opportunity to put together back-to-back strong outings when the Aces face the Wings on Wednesday.

Loyd was one of three Aces players to score in double figures on Saturday, utilizing the three-point shot as her primary tool. Interestingly, the veteran guard saved all of her scoring for one quarter, which was the third. In that frame, she shot 3-of-5 from deep and made her way to the free throw line on multiple occasions to help the Aces to a 31-point quarter as a team. She was scoreless the rest of the way and didn’t contribute much in other statistical categories, but there’s no doubt her scoring burst immediately after halftime had an impact on the game. Loyd continues to light it up from beyond the arc this season.