FA update: Breanna Stewart chooses exciting New York and joins Liberty

It seemed like Breanna Stewart was 50/50 between the Seattle Storm and the New York Liberty. On Wednesday, she chose Liberty and the celebrations for Liberty Nation began.

And of course, WNBA Twitter was ecstatic, having been awaiting their decision with great anticipation for some time. Lexie Brown, whose re-signing with the Sparks was announced just before Stewart made her announcement, had one of the best tweets amid the overflow:

Stewart’s signing with New York puts the Liberty on a possible collision course to face the Las Vegas Aces, who added Candace Parker to A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, in the WNBA Finals.

Stewart, who joins forces with Jonquel Jones, gives the Liberty the top 2 players on the list of the WNBA’s best players competing in 2022. Stewart won the award in 2018.

It was a difficult decision for Stewie, and she ultimately settled on the excitement of New York’s bright lights.

By Numbers*

Free Agents (Type) (Average Salary 2022)

• Sami Whitcomb (unlimited) ($150,350)
• Han Xu (reserved) ($60,471)
• Marine Johannès (reserved) ($40,713)

Average total free agent salary: $251,534

analysis

Let’s say Stewart gets paid the supermax. In our first article on Liberty Free Agency, I assumed the team wouldn’t try to keep Sami Whitcomb at $150,350. Let’s stick to this assumption. That leaves negotiations with Marine Johannès and Han Xu, but both are reticent lest New York have to raise their salary to compete with other applicants. If they were indeed free agents, Johannès could be offered around $120,000 or more and Xu around $100,000.

So here’s a look at a 10 player list for the Liberty (of course they need 11):

• Breanna Stewart, from PF ($234,936)
• Jonquel Jones, from C ($211,150)
• Sabrina Ionescu, from PG ($86,701)
• Betniyah Laney, from SF ($201,984)
• Stefanie Dolson, second C ($160,000)
• Marine Johannès, from SG ($74,305)
• Kayla Thornton, second SF/PF ($109,716)
• Han Xu, Third C ($74,305)
• Michaela Onyenwere, third SF/PF $75,407
• Jocelyn Willoughby, fourth SF/SG $79,690

The Liberty will have $112,306 left in this scenario. The first thing I have to address is the thoughts (via Howard Megdal from The next) that Courtney Vandersloot might be willing to accept that amount to be the final piece of the puzzle for a super team. However, Vandersloot has a very tempting opportunity to return home and play for the Seattle Storm. All we know is that she has officially said she will not be returning to Chicago Sky.

If Sloot doesn’t join the Liberty, where does the $112,306 go? Is it still going to a point guard? The thing is, Sabrina Ionescu is one of the best distributors in the game and Johannès is a good distributor herself, averaging 3.4 assists per game and pulling off a memorable pass last year. So the Liberty could do without another point guard, but we’ve seen that Ionescu is so much more successful when she’s able to play without the ball.

From today’s perspective, Ionescu or Johannès would be the start supervisor. Are the Liberty going to Jordin Canada to have an elite PG to take the ball to Stewie, Jonquel, Sabrina and Betnijah? As noted in our original article on Liberty Free Agency, Canada made just $98,000 from the Sparks last year, but that’s lagging behind in numbers with the Storm in 2021. In 2022 she was back to herself with more games time in which she is averaging 9.2 points 5.5 assists and 1.4 steals and I think she is making over $112,306 especially since I said, Johannès (10 points and 3.4 assists per game) earns nearly $120,000.

Here are some other free agent options for the Liberty in the $112,306 price range:

• Bria Hartley – was Stewie’s teammate at UConn; earned $190,550 for the Mercury in 2021 and had an amazing 2020, averaging 14.6 points and 4.5 assists before tearing her cruciate ligament; the injury caused her to miss most of 2021 and then shared time with Fever and Sun last year without getting much playing time before tearing her other ACL in late July; If the Liberty wants to take a chance on a talented player getting two ACL tears, Hartley might be available for $112,306
• Victoria Vivians
• Kiah Stokes
• Rachel Banham
• Bridget Carleton
• Damiris Dantas
• Megan Gustafson – Based on what she’s done abroad, could be worth $112,306
• Shey Peddy
• prince of the three kings
• Gaby Williams
• Elizabeth Williams

The Liberty could increase their price range a bit, letting go of Willoughby, Onyenwere or Xu in favor of a player with the 0-2 minimum (a player with the veteran minimum wouldn’t save them much), but I think they like the Deep that these players offer and Onyenwere still has the advantage she showed in 2021 as Rookie of the Year.