The WNBA trade deadline has officially passed, and although there weren’t many moves made, a couple of teams certainly have a different outlook for this season. With that said, let’s take a look at three losers and three winners of the deadline.
Winners
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics have had a mediocre season, but it’s certainly an improvement from last season. Though they dished out Aaliyah Edwards to the Sun, they received Jacy Sheldon and a 2026 first-round pick swap. This is a beautiful return package for Washington, as Sheldon is only 24 and has shown signs of having a lot of potential.
On August 5, the Mystics also traded away Brittney Skyes, which will hurt, but it’s clear she would be a better fit on a team looking to make a push for the playoffs. The only unfortunate thing thus far for Washington is that Shakira Austin voiced how upset she was to lose Edwards, a player she was particularly close to.
Well there goes my healed journey…. they got my bookie and my rook.🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲they kept me together man wow💔shit hurts
— Shakira Austin✨ (@Theylove_kira) August 7, 2025
Brittney Skyes
Though the Mystics would be considered a winner, Skyes is definitely in a happier situation on the Storm. At 16-14, they’re the No. 6-ranked team in the league and are certainly hopeful to make a run in the playoffs. Skyes should be a great help to that cause as she’s averaging over 15 PPG this season.
Minnesota Lynx
The best team in the WNBA got better, which should terrify the rest of the league. Though the trade for DiJonai Carrington wasn’t expected, it’s been a success in the short sample size that we’ve seen. In her Lynx debut, Carrington scored 13 points in just 18 minutes, showing that she can have an immediate impact.
It’s encouraging for Minnesota to see her scoring efficiently, as her defense is her biggest attribute. If she’s able to consistently perform well offensively, she’s going to make the Lynx an even bigger problem for the WNBA.
Losers
Connecticut Sun
It would’ve been difficult to consider the Sun a winner of the trade deadline in any scenario, given their 5-23 record, but their lack of moves makes them an easy loser. Aside from acquiring Edwards from the Mystics, they made no other moves and gave up a talented 24-year-old in the process.
In her rookie season, Edwards started half of her games for the Mystics, but has yet to start in a game this season. She’s averaging six points per game in 13 minutes, which is very efficient, but she may not have an immediate impact on the Sun.
Aaliyah Edwards
Unfortunately for Edwards, she went from a mediocre team to the worst team in the league. Given that she was yet to start this season, it wasn’t a surprise that they felt another team would be a better fit for her, but to go to the worst team is definitely a blow.
She could definitely be a contributing piece off the bench for a contender this season, but Connecticut is far from that. The only upside to this trade for her is that she will have the opportunity to break out with the Sun and potentially hit another level in her game.
Dallas Wings
Aside from the success of star rookie Paige Bueckers, this season hasn’t been particularly fun for the Wings. They are the second-worst team in the league, closely behind the Sun, as Dallas has just eight wins this season. They are now in an even more awkward position than before the deadline.
Losing Carrington hurts their chances of success in the near future, which isn’t a great message to send to Bueckers. Though she’s a rookie, she would be a leading figure on a number of contenders in the league right now, and the lack of success could lead to a desire to leave the Wings as a whole.
