Editorial

The WNBA’s next two franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, finally have a roster. 
Both squads participated in a two-round expansion draft on April 3, 2026, picking players from each team in the WNBA except for the Chicago Sky. The Sky, prior to the draft, traded its 17th overall pick to the Fire in exchange for the 21st overall pick, and to prevent the Fire from taking anyone from its team. 
Chicago also sent its 26th overall pick to the Tempo in exchange for Toronto not selecting anyone from its roster. 
That said, every other team was fair game for poaching. Let’s take a look at some of the key players added by both franchises, set to kick off their respective seasons in Season 30.
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<h2>Toronto Tempo roster:</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258017" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="875" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1-768x960.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
A huge takeaway from this initial roster is that the Tempo wanted to take shooting and guard depth seriously. Marina Mabrey’s name obviously jumps off the page on that front, although she had a slump-year (27-percent 3PT shooting) with the Connecticut Sun in 2025. However, it’s clear the Tempo value her veteran presence and competitiveness, with Tempo general manager Monica Wright Rogers <a href="https://x.com/chelsealeite/status/2040162676702126322?s=20">telling reporters</a> following the expansion draft that Mabrey “&#8230;has something you can’t coach, a fierce, competitive nature. That will resonate with this city.”
Aaliyah Nye, who won a championship in her rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces last year, is another sharp-shooter that should be able to contribute immediately with head coach Sandy Brondello likely seeking to surround the teams’ bigs with as much shooting as possible. She averaged just 31.4 percent from three point range, but was coming off a season with the Alabama Crimson Tide where <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/aaliyah-nye-1.html">she shot</a> 41.8 percent from long range over four seasons. 
Other players of note from this initial roster include Nyara Sabally, a former member of Brondello’s New York Liberty team, and Julie Allemand, who had a nice bounceback season with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2025. 
Sabally has dealt with injury woes in recent years, but when she’s on the floor, she can make a huge impact on the glass. Her contributions to the Liberty’s championship run, and especially in its Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, couldn’t be ignored by Brondello or the Tempo. She averaged 5.4 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds and one block in 17 games played. 
As for Allemand, she’s a Belgian star set to gain another year with major minutes with the Tempo. Her work as a distributor for Los Angeles clearly didn’t go unnoticed by the Tempo’s scouting team, and she’s a great compliment to players like Sabally, Mabrey, and María Conde (assuming the Spanish forward comes over to the WNBA this season). With the Sparks in 2025, she averaged just 5.4 points per game but a solid five assists in 28.3 minutes per game. 
One thing that could really tie this initial roster together is the team honing in on a big in this year’s college draft. The Tempo are selecting 6th overall in this year’s draft, while the Fire select 7th since they picked first in the expansion draft. That could give them a shot at a player like Lauren Betts, who would be an unbelievably great fit with a roster chock-full of great facilitators. 
A worthwhile nugget to mention regarding this initial roster: according to the Tempo’s press release on these selections, the team has taken seven international players, which the <a href="https://tempo.wnba.com/news/toronto-tempo-select-11-players-in-2026-tempo-expansion-draft">team says</a>, “brings a blend of championship experience, international competition at the highest level, and positional versatility as the Tempo begin building their identity in the WNBA.”
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<h2>Portland Fire roster:</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258016" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST.png" alt="" width="700" height="875" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST.png 1080w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST-240x300.png 240w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST-819x1024.png 819w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST-768x960.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /> 
Bridget Carleton, the former Minnesota Lynx forward, was the Fire’s first overall pick and its selection from a list of available unrestricted free agents available in this expansion draft. Each team was allowed to select one UFA, with Mabrey being the Tempo’s pick from that pool. 
Carleton, who was an integral part of Minnesota’s offense from the three point line and as a defender in the paint, could’ve been a fitting addition to Toronto’s roster considering she’s an Ontario native. But, the veteran lands with Portland, providing immediate starting power in the Fire’s frontcourt. She averaged 6.5 points per game along with 3.6 rebounds and two assists, and shot a clean 37.3 percent from three-point range. 
A somewhat surprising name on this draft list is Carla Leite. The former Golden State Valkyries guard had become a fan-favorite in her rookie season with the squad, averaging 7.2 points per game along with two assists and 1.3 rebounds, providing a pop defensively whenever she was on the floor. Her pick-and-roll proficiency made her a huge asset to the Valkyries offense, and especially their bigs. Her not being protected by Golden State could be Portland’s gain. 
With Carleton in the fold in addition to Emily Engstler and Haley Jones, Leite could emerge as one of next season’s best floor generals if utilized correctly. 
Two underrated picks for Portland are Sarah Ashlee Barker and Maya Caldwell. Caldwell, who spent last year with the Atlanta Dream, is a solid three-point shooter and a great cutter to pair with guards like Sug Sutton and Leite who are more focused on facilitating. 
Her addition to this team brings shooting and rim pressure, taking some of that load off the shoulders of the teams’ talented bigs. She averaged 5.4 points per game in addition to 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and almost one steal in 18.5 minutes per game. 
As for Barker, and similarly to Nye with the Tempo, she has an opportunity to show off her strengths with potentially larger minutes with the Fire. The former Sparks guard got plenty of opportunities to flex her defensive skills in 2025, and she was also a decent scorer for stretches.
However, it was always going to be tough to find her a role behind Kelsey Plum and Allemand. She averaged just 3.1 points per game along with 1.9 rebounds and almost one assist, although she only averaged 14.1 minutes per game as a rookie. 
This Fire roster is emphasizing depth at the forward position, as well as guards who can bring out the best in those front court pieces. Portland general manager Vanja Černivec told reporters following the draft that the team prioritized “great teammates who will help us recruit players in free agency.” 
 
“We want to play team-oriented basketball,” she added. 
Carleton, Leite, Caldwell, and Sutton all fit that bill right off the bat. We’ll see if Černivec’s focus on team &#8211; and fan &#8211; favorites with talent to boot works as they look ahead to the college draft and a tumultuous free agency period.

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Maya Caldwell

<div>
2025 Season with the Dream:
<ul>
<li data-start="0" data-end="139">
Steady contributor in Atlanta’s rotation, providing versatility, toughness, and consistent production off the bench and in spot starts.
</li>
<li data-start="140" data-end="366">
Key early-season performances:
<ul data-start="177" data-end="366">
<li data-start="177" data-end="212">
9 pts, 2 ast vs. Dallas (5/24).
</li>
<li data-start="215" data-end="297">
12 pts, 6 ast (tied career high), 4 reb, 2 stl in win over Connecticut (5/25).
</li>
<li data-start="300" data-end="366">
Played key role in first win of the season vs. Indiana (5/20).
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li data-start="367" data-end="434">
Logged valuable minutes vs. Seattle (7/3): 6 pts, 7 reb, 1 stl.
</li>
<li data-start="435" data-end="502">
Returned to starting lineup vs. New York (7/13): 12 pts, 5 reb.
</li>
<li data-start="503" data-end="577">
Followed with 8 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast in another start vs. Chicago (7/16).
</li>
<li data-start="578" data-end="624">
9 pts, 3 ast in win over Minnesota (7/27).
</li>
<li data-start="625" data-end="681">
Added 9 pts, season-high 4 stl vs. Valkyries (7/29).
</li>
<li data-start="682" data-end="737">
Team-high +13 and 13 pts in win over Dallas (7/30).
</li>
<li data-start="738" data-end="861">
Season-high 14 pts, including 4-of-4 from three in the first quarter, and tied career-high 7 reb vs. Phoenix (8/1).
</li>
<li data-start="862" data-end="923">
Posted 10 pts, 7 reb in 10-point win over Seattle (8/13).
</li>
<li data-start="924" data-end="1019" data-is-last-node="">
Tied career-high 19 pts and set new career-high with 5 made threes vs. Los Angeles (9/5).
</li>
</ul>
2024 Season with the Dream:
<ul>
<li>Played 25 games for the Dream in 2024, averaging 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.</li>
<li>Had a career-highs in scoring (19) and steals (3) against Seattle (7/14)</li>
<li>In her first start for the Dream against Dallas (7/5), Caldwell recorded a season high 11 points, three assists and two steals.</li>
<li>Surpassed her debut with eight points and three rebounds against New York (6/30).</li>
<li>Capitalized on her Dream debut against the Sun (6/28) with seven points, one block and one rebound off the bench.</li>
<li>Announced signing with the Dream on June 26, 2024</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>2023 with the Indiana Fever</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Signed as a free agent with Indiana on February 2, 2023.</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Played for new Fever head coach Christie Sides in 2022 with Atlanta and was signed to two hardship contracts after joining the Dream’s training camp in 2022.</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Played in three games for the Dream in June, returned in August to play the Dream’s remaining six games.</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Caldwell was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team in 2021 and graduated ahead of her senior season with a degree in communication studies.</div>
<div class="ewa-rteLine">Drafted with the No. 33 overall pick by the Indiana Fever in the 2021 WNBA Draft.</div>

Atlanta Dream v Las Vegas Aces

Maya Caldwell was traded from the Portland Fire to the Minnesota Lynx.

Maya Caldwell signed a Training Camp Contract with the Portland Fire.

The Portland Fire extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Maya Caldwell.

Maya Caldwell was drafted in the 2027 Expansion Draft by the Portland Fire.

Scoreless in 11 minutes

Acquired by Lynx

Available for Sunday

Out with illness

Signs with Fire

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