With the clock ticking toward a critical deadline, the WNBA’s labor talks have reached a defining moment. As negotiations stretch into the new year, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has made it clear the league office is not standing on the sidelines. Instead, it is closely involved, openly supportive, and increasingly aware of what is at stake for the future of women’s professional basketball.
Adams Silver Closely Monitoring WNBA CBA Negotiations
Silver addressed the situation directly this week, offering his most detailed public comments yet on the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and its players.
“We’re available to do whatever is necessary to help get a deal done,” Silver said. “I am encouraged by the fact that they extended the deadline once again into January. I am tracking things very closely. I talk to people who are at the negotiating table on a daily basis.”
The current CBA talks are ongoing following a series of short-term extensions. Players formally opted out of the 2020 agreement in October 2024, setting the original expiration date at the end of the 2025 season.
Since then, the deal has been extended twice, first to November 30 and then again into early January. As of now, the agreement is set to expire on January 9, 2026, though either side can terminate the extension with just 48 hours’ notice.
At the heart of the negotiations is player compensation and quality of life. Silver openly acknowledged that the league recognizes the need for significant change.
MORE: 4-Time All-Star Rips Today’s NBA As ‘Irritating’ and ‘Just Not Fun to Watch Anymore’
“We acknowledge that our players deserve to be paid significantly more than they have so far based on the increased success of the league,” Silver said. “It’s just a question now of finding a meeting of the minds in terms of what is a fair deal. It’s going to require compromise on both sides.”
That acknowledgment reflects the reality of a league that has grown rapidly in visibility, attendance, and media value. Players are pushing not only for higher salaries, but also for expanded rosters and structural changes that would reduce the need to play overseas during the offseason.
Many have framed this CBA as an opportunity to keep stars in the country rather than forcing them to seek higher pay in Europe or Asia.
According to a previous report from Khristina Williams, the league has proposed a revamped compensation model tied directly to team and league revenue growth. The centerpiece of that proposal is guaranteed $1 million base salaries for maximum players beginning in 2026. With revenue sharing, total earnings could exceed $1.2 million.
The league has also proposed lifting the average salary above $500,000, raising the minimum salary beyond $225,000, and increasing the team salary cap from $1.5 million to $5 million in the first year of the new deal. An earlier offer on November 18 included more than $1.1 million in potential maximum earnings, but it failed to persuade the players.
Negotiations have been frequent and ongoing since late 2024, including major in-person sessions around All-Star weekend and multiple recent virtual meetings. While the technical expiration date looms, talks can continue legally as long as both sides honor extensions.
Adding pressure to the process is the emergence of competitor leagues, such as Unrivaled and Project B. These new ventures are offering players alternative paydays and, in some cases, equity stakes. That added leverage has changed the balance of power and raised the cost of a stalled agreement.
Silver emphasized his personal investment in the outcome.
“I care enormously about it,” he said. “I have great relationships with many players and want it to be successful. I want the players to feel fairly treated.”
As January approaches, optimism remains, but so does urgency. This CBA will shape not just salaries, but the long-term stability and credibility of the WNBA.
