With the WNBA trade deadline on Thursday, August 7 at 3 p.m. ET, now is the time for contending teams to bolster their rosters for the stretch run.

The deadline coincides with the season reaching 70% completion, meaning there will be less than a third of the schedule remaining for teams to secure their playoff position and ready their playoff rotations.

The league-leading Lynx were the first team to make a move on Sunday, acquiring guard/forward DiJonai Carrington – the 2024 Most Improved Player and All-Defensive First Team selection – from Dallas for former No. 2 overall pick Diamond Miller, an injured Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round pick.

The Lynx already own the league’s top defense in terms of opponent points allowed (75.4 ppg), defensive rating (95.1) and opponent effective field goal percentage (46.8%). Now, they add a strong on-ball defender to the mix as they eye the top seed in the playoffs (they currently hold a 5.5-game lead) and pursue a record fifth WNBA title.

With Minnesota setting the tone, how will fellow contenders respond before Thursday’s deadline? We’ll dive into that next week. For now, here’s how the field stacks up this week.

1. Minnesota Lynx (24-5) ↔️

Last Week: 1 

This Week: Tue. at SEA, Fri. vs. WAS, Sun. at NYL

While the Lynx are coming off a historic 111-58 win in Las Vegas on Saturday – the 53-point margin of victory is the largest for any road team, the second-largest for any game in WNBA history, a franchise record 17 triples, including eight in the 1st half from Kayla McBride – all eyes are focused on the right ankle of Napheesa Collier. The league’s leading scorer and MVP frontrunner suffered the injury late in the 3rd quarter against the Aces and did not return. No timetable has been set for her return.

2. Atlanta Dream (18-11) ⬆️

Last Week: 3 

This Week: Thur. at CHI, Sun. at PHX

After falling to Golden State in the closing seconds on Tuesday, the Dream won three straight to close the week and have won five of their last six games overall. Allisha Gray leads the WNBA in 3-pointers made (73) and ranks 12th in 3-point percentage (40.8%) for the season. Over the past six games, she’s been on fire, hitting 50% of her triples (17-of-34), while leading five Dream players averaging 12+ points with 19.2 ppg.

3. New York Liberty (18-10) ⬇️

Last Week: 2 

This Week: Tue. vs. DAL, Fri. at DAL, Sun. vs. MIN

Sunday’s win over Connecticut helped the Liberty snap a four-game losing streak – New York’s longest skid since July 2022. With Breanna Stewart diagnosed with a right knee bone bruise and no timetable for a return, the Liberty added another former Finals MVP to their frontline with 2019 winner Emma Meesseman joining Jonquel Jones (2024) and Stewart (2018, 2020). The defending champs open the week with a home-and-home set with Dallas before hosting the Lynx in the second of four 2024 Finals rematches in the span of three weeks (July 30-Aug. 19).

4. Indiana Fever (17-12) ⬆️

Last Week: 6 

This Week: Tue. at LAS, Thur. at PHX, Sat. vs. CHI

The title of “hottest team in the league” entering this week belongs to the Fever, who have won five straight games and eight of their last 10. Tomorrow in L.A., the Fever will look to match their longest win streak in a decade as they visit the Sparks seeking a sixth straight W. This streak has come while Caitlin Clark remains sidelined (groin) as Indiana is now 9-7 without the reigning Rookie of the Year this season.

5. Phoenix Mercury (17-11) ⬇️

Last Week: 4 

This Week: Tue. vs. CON, Thur. vs. IND, Sun. vs. ATL

Behind 25 points from Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas’ league-record 13th career regular season triple-double (10 pts, 10 reb, 10 ast), the Mercury defeated the Sky on Sunday to avoid an 0-3 week. However, Phoenix is just 2-5 of its last seven games following a 9-2 run that had the Mercury in second place in the league at 15-6 in mid-July. Phoenix opens a four-game homestand on Tuesday, looking to build on a 9-4 home record this season compared to 8-7 on the road.

6. Seattle Storm (16-13) ⬇️

Last Week: 5 

This Week: Tue. vs. MIN, Fri. at LVA, Sun. at LAS

The Storm are just 2-4 since the All-Star break and are coming off back-to-back close losses – a two-point loss to L.A. in a double-overtime thriller despite a season-high 37 points from Nneka Ogwumike, and a four-point loss to red-hot Indiana. Seattle sits in the middle of a crowded pack from No. 2 New York to No. 10 Los Angeles in the standings – the No. 6 Storm are 2.5 games back of the Liberty and 3.0 games up on the Sparks.

7. Las Vegas Aces (15-14) ↔️

Last Week: 7 ↔️

This Week: Wed. at GSV, Fri. vs. SEA, Sun. vs. CON

The Aces had a rollercoaster week. They began with a 15-point win over L.A., snapping the Sparks’ five-game win streak behind Jackie Young’s first triple-double and A’ja Wilson’s 34 points. They followed that with the second-largest loss in league history (-53) to Minnesota. Then, they rebounded with a 24-point win over Golden State to close the week 2-1 despite a minus-14 point differential. Despite the up-and-down week, they maintain their hold on the No. 7 spot in the power rankings.

8. Golden State Valkyries (14-14) ⬆️

Last Week: 10 

This Week: Wed. vs. LVA, Sat. vs. LAS

Sunday’s loss to the Aces snapped a three-game win streak for the Valkyries and was the only thing that kept them from leaping Las Vegas in these rankings. After a 3-1 week, the Valkyries are 14-14 on the season – putting them in contention for the best inaugural season by a WNBA expansion team ever. Only three teams have won more than 14 games – the 1999 Lynx and Miracle each went 15-17, while the 1998 Shock went 17-13. That Shock team is the only expansion team to finish above .500, which is in play for the Valkyries.

9. Los Angeles Sparks (12-15) ⬇️

Last Week: 8 

This Week: Tue. vs. IND, Thur. vs. CON, Sat. at GSV, Sun. vs. SEA

The Sparks had their five-game win streak snapped by Las Vegas, but bounced back with a double-overtime win over the Storm in one of the top games of the season. Dearica Hamby hit the game-winning layup with 4.3 seconds left, but it was L.A.’s balance with four 20+ point scorers that shined in the win. Leading the way with 27 points was Rickea Jackson, who has had four 20+ point games during L.A.’s current hot streak. After going 6-14 in their first 20 games, the Sparks are 6-1 in their last seven.

10. Washington Mystics (13-15) ⬇️

Last Week: 9 

This Week: Tue. at CHI, Fri. at MIN, Sun. at DAL

After a 6-2 stretch lifted the Mystics over .500 prior to All-Star, Washington has gone 2-5 in its last seven games and – at No. 9 in the standings – is currently the first team on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. Something to watch down the stretch is how the Mystics fare in close games. They have played in a league-high seven games decided by three points or less, and are 3-4 in those games so far.

11. Dallas Wings (8-21) ⬆️

Last Week: 12 

This Week: Tue. at NYL, Fri. vs. NYL, Sun. vs. WAS

The Wings have the frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year race in No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers – who not only leads all rookies but ranks in the top 10 in the entire league in points (18.5 ppg, 7th), assists (5.5 apg, 9th) and steals (1.8 spg, 3rd). Now, they add another lottery pick to the roster in 2023 No. 2 pick Diamond Miller from Minnesota in the trade for DiJonai Carrington. Will an expanded role in Dallas help Miller showcase her full potential?

12. Chicago Sky (7-21) ⬇️

Last Week: 11 

This Week: Tue. vs. WAS, Thur. vs. ATL, Sat. at IND

The Sky have dropped eight straight games – their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight in 2012. Angel Reese (back) has missed five of Chicago’s last seven games as the Sky are now 0-5 without her on the season and 1-10 without her for her career. Chicago will look to end the slide this week with home games against the Mystics and Dream before heading to Indiana on Saturday to face the Fever.

13. Connecticut Sun (5-22) ↔️

Last Week: 13 

This Week: Tue. at PHX, Thur. at LAS, Sun. at LVA

Since Marina Mabrey returned to the lineup following the All-Star break, the Sun have gone 2-3 with home wins over the Valkyries and Liberty. Now, the Sun hit the road for four straight games and will look to improve on their 1-11 mark away from Mohegan Sun this season.

Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.