The Golden State Valkyries know better than most that the expansion draft giveth and the expansion draft taketh.
And Friday’s expansion draft to jump start the rosters of the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo took one very valuable player from the Valkyries.
With its second pick in the expansion draft, Portland took playmaking reserve guard Carla Leite, who gave the Valkyries valuable minutes in their inaugural season. Leite averaged 7.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists off the bench, earning six starts.
“Growth is rarely easy, especially in a league finding its footing, and it is essential,” Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin said in a statement released by the team after the draft. “The expansion draft reflects that progress, a necessary step toward something bigger than any one team. We will forever be grateful to every player who willingly chose to build with us, whether from the Bay or from afar, in year one; their commitment laid the foundation of Ballhalla.”
Now it is time for Golden State to go after a star as free agency opens. Owner Joe Lacob has made it clear that he wants to be active in the free agent market. He was hoping for the same last season, but without a proven product to commit to, the league’s biggest free-agent names took a pass on Golden State. That should be different come next week.
The Valkyries are indeed a proven product in every way, from marketing, to fan enthusiasm, to success on the floor – they’re the WNBA’s first-ever expansion team to make the playoffs.
Valkyries fans have made it clear they’d love to see Sabrina Ionescu come home to the Bay Area, but Ionescu has already said she will stay in New York. Rumblings that Lacob would make a run at A’ja Wilson are also looking to be just that, as the reigning MVP says she is staying in Las Vegas. But a free-agency splash is what Golden State wants badly.
Leite, meanwhile, will be missed. She came to Golden State via the expansion draft from the Dallas Wings in December of 2024, and she was a huge asset. She appeared in 37 of 44 regular-season games.
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With their third pick, the Toronto Tempo selected Valkyries small forward Maria Conde, who did not play a minute during the inaugural season after suffering an Achilles injury in January 2025. Conde recently returned to the floor for Spain at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament. She averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four games.
Leite, from France, and Conde, from Spain, follow the path established by Golden State in the 2025 expansion draft: Build a foundation with international talent and then maximize opportunities for significant playing time. It was a winning formula for Golden State a year ago, when Fire general manager Vanya Cernivec was the assistant GM under Nyanin.
Time will tell if either player makes a splash with their new time. But for now, the Valkyries have a refreshed list of holes to fill in this year’s free agency period.
“Carla and María are part of our canvas, and we are thankful for their impact,” Nyanin said. “We wish them nothing but the best as they continue their journey.”
