2012 Free Agency Primer
Kevin Pelton, StormBasketball.com
StormCast: Agler, Bryant Talk 2012
Storm News ArchiveWNBA free agency opens on Wednesday, the first time players can sign contracts for the 2012 season. Right now, teams are allowed to recruit and negotiate with free agents. The Storm has five free agents. Starting guards 
Sue Bird and 
Tanisha Wright, as well as reserves 
Katie Smith and 
Belinda Snell (who will not play in the WNBA prior to the Olympics) are unrestricted free agents. Guard 
Allie Quigley is a restricted free agent, meaning the Storm has the right to match any offer made to Quigley. Center 
Ewelina Kobryn is a reserved player and can negotiate only with the Storm.
The first priority for the Storm will be re-signing Bird and Wright, who made it clear at the end of last season that they intend to re-sign. "I plan on doing it," said Bird. "It will get done." "As long as Seattle will have me and it's viable for both sides, I'll be back in Seattle," said Wright.
Then the Storm can look to bolster the roster with space under the salary cap cleared by this month's trade that sent Swin Cash and Le'coe Willingham to Chicago in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick. Let's take a look at the available players. Note that this is not an official list, but was compiled by Richard Cohen for the WNBAlien blog. See WNBAlien for additional analysis of free agency.
Unrestricted Free Agents
| Player | Team | Pos | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG |
| Alana Beard* | WAS | SG | 31.8 | 15.9 | 4.0 | 2.2 |
| Kelly Miller | WAS | PG | 27.7 | 7.4 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| Ann Wauters* | SAS | C | 27.2 | 12.9 | 5.6 | 1.1 |
| Sheryl Swoopes | TUL | SF | 26.6 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 2.3 |
| Tina Thompson | LAS | PF | 25.0 | 9.9 | 4.6 | 1.1 |
| Michelle Snow | CHI | C | 24.1 | 5.9 | 6.3 | 1.9 |
| Ticha Penicheiro | LAS | PG | 23.7 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 4.8 |
| Cathrine Kraayeveld | CHI | PF | 20.6 | 5.9 | 2.6 | 1.2 |
| Jennifer Lacy | TUL | PF | 19.2 | 6.3 | 2.6 | 1.0 |
| Ruth Riley | SAS | C | 19.0 | 5.6 | 3.8 | 1.2 |
| Marie Ferdinand-Harris | PHO | SG | 17.4 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Erin Thorn | CHI | SF | 16.8 | 5.4 | 1.7 | 2.4 |
| Scholanda Robinson | SAS | SG | 16.2 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| Dominique Canty | CHI | PG | 15.0 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 2.0 |
| Shyra Ely | IND | SF | 10.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| DeMya Walker | WAS | PF | 8.0 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Sidney Spencer | PHO | PF | 7.1 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| Jessica Moore | CON | PF | 6.9 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 |
| Betty Lennox | TUL | SG | 6.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
* 2009 statistics
Restricted Free Agents
| Player | Team | Pos | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG |
| Sylvia Fowles | CHI | C | 34.6 | 20.0 | 10.2 | 0.6 |
| Crystal Langhorne | WAS | PF | 34.3 | 18.2 | 7.6 | 1.6 |
| Candace Parker | LAS | PF | 32.6 | 18.5 | 8.6 | 2.8 |
| Matee Ajavon | WAS | SG | 31.3 | 14.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| Nicky Anosike | WAS | C | 27.2 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 1.4 |
| Amber Holt | TUL | SF | 25.6 | 6.7 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Leilani Mitchell | NYL | PG | 25.4 | 5.6 | 2.1 | 2.9 |
| Tamera Young | CHI | SF | 24.0 | 7.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 |
| Essence Carson | NYL | SF | 22.7 | 11.3 | 2.8 | 1.7 |
| Erin Phillips | IND | PG | 22.2 | 8.6 | 2.8 | 2.4 |
| Eshaya Murphy | CHI | SF | 20.5 | 9.8 | 4.8 | 1.1 |
| Candice Wiggins | MIN | SG | 17.1 | 5.9 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| Ketia Swanier | PHO | PG | 14.8 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| Kerri Gardin | WAS | SF | 14.0 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 1.0 |
| Charde Houston | MIN | PF | 7.8 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 |
| Alexis Hornbuckle | MIN | SG | 7.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 |
Because teams can match any offers to restricted free agents, don't expect Fowles and Parker to be on the move. However, teams may try to pry away some of the other players on this list ... starting next Wednesday.
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