Chicago Sky players will not be available for selection in Friday’s expansion draft after the team made a pair of trades with the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo.
The trades involve picks in the 2026 WNBA draft, which will be held on April 13. The Sky made a second-round pick swap with the Fire, exchanging the No. 17 pick for the No. 21 pick. Chicago also sent the No. 26 pick to Toronto. In return, the Fire and the Tempo won’t select Sky players in the expansion draft.
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This will leave the Sky with the Nos. 5, 21 and 32 picks in the 2026 WNBA draft.
Although other players — including free agents like Rachel Banham and retired players like Allie Quigley — were technically available in their player pool, the Sky were debating a decision between protecting five of eight players: Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, Hailey Van Lith, Maddie Westbeld, Ariel Atkins, Aicha Coulibaly, Sevgi Uzun and Ajša Sivka.
Wednesday’s trades will allow the Sky to return their four under-contract players — Cardoso, Reese, Van Lith and Westbeld — in addition to Sivka, who was drafted in 2025 and is expected to sign a contract this summer. The team will also attempt to return Atkins in free agency.
The expansion draft will take place Friday, with two rounds in which the Fire and the Tempo will be allowed to select a maximum of one pick from each team. The Fire will select first and the Tempo will follow.
