Sparks Adds Jasmine Thomas and Dearica Hamby
The 2023 WNBA free agency period is officially upon us. Teams can now formally meet with players and agents to discuss contracts. Then, on February 1, the teams will be able to announce signings and transactions.
In addition, the period for the main and qualifying offers began on January 11. Prior to our first trade of the year, the Sparks extended a qualifying offer to Kianna Smith.
Under the new leadership of CAO and GM Karen Bryant, assistant GM Eli Horowitz, and head coach Curt Miller, the Sparks completed two trades. First, on January 16, Los Angeles traded Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Kianna Smith, and Jasmine Walker to Connecticut in exchange for WNBA All-Star Jasmine Thomas and the top 10the overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft.
On January 21, the Sparks completed their second trade, acquiring two-time WNBA All-Star and 2022 WNBA Champion Dearica Hamby along with a 2024 first-round draft pick in exchange for the rights. Amanda Zahui B. and the 2024 Sparks trade exclusives. Second-round draft pick.
Sparks 2023 Free Agency
Below is a list of the types of free agents in the WNBA Bargaining Agreement, and who from the Sparks applies to each category as of January 24:
Unrestricted Free Agents- The following players can negotiate a contract with any of the 12 WNBA teams and sign any time after February 1, 2021:
- Nneka Ogwumike
- Chiney Ogwumike
- brittney sikes
- lexie brown
- kristi toliver
- Canada
main player: A master offer is a maximum one-year offer to a veteran player that allows a WNBA team to retain exclusive bargaining rights with that player. WNBA teams can only have one player under the primary designation at a time, so they can’t pick anyone during 2022 free agency.
Restricted Free Agents: Players with four years of service are considered Restricted Free Agents. Restricted free agency gives the player’s previous team the right to keep the player by signing a new contract or matching a contract offer the player signs with another team (Right of Preemption). If the player signs a contract offer with another team, the player’s former team has four days from the date he receives the offer to determine if he wishes to match. If the offer is matched, the player will remain with her team. If the offer is not matched within the four-day period, the player will remain under contract with the bidding team.
The Sparks have no restricted free agents in 2023.
Suspended/Expired Contract: Teams maintain exclusive negotiating rights with players who did not play in the previous WNBA season but whose contract expired.
The Sparks have no players suspended in 2023.
Reserved Players – Free agent players with three or fewer years of service are considered reserved players. The player’s previous team has exclusive trading rights.
The Sparks have no players booked in 2023.
Players under contract- The following players are not 2023 free agents and remain on the current Los Angeles Sparks roster as of January 24:
- rae burrell
- chennedy carter
- Dearica Hamby
- katie lou samuelson
- jasmine tomas
Foreign players- The Sparks maintain the rights to the following international players:
- Maria Vadeeva
- Julia Reisingerova
- Alina Iagupova
To prepare for free agency in 2023, be sure to follow the official Los Angeles Sparks public relations Twitter account, @LASparksPR.
