Nobody expected the Golden State Valkyries to be 13-13 through 26 games and in a position to potentially position themselves as buyers ahead of the 2025 WNBA trade deadline. Yet, that is exactly where the league's newest organization finds itself roughly one month ahead of the playoffs.
The Valkyries' journey, three-quarters of the way through the year, has not been smooth. They dealt with a myriad of roster issues with multiple players leaving the team to participate in the EuroBasket and puzzlingly released veteran point guard Julie Vanloo upon her return from Belgium. The injury bug hit Golden State coming out of the All-Star break, ending leading scorer Kayla Thornton's season and sidelining Monique Billings for three weeks.
Through the chaos, Golden State finds itself with a 14-13 record through 27 games, the seventh-best in the league. The WNBA playoffs include eight teams, currently placing them within reach. However, given the Valkyries' current roster situation, they need to be active at the deadline if they wish to make a serious run.
A championship in their first season would reach unprecedented territory, but the Valkyries simply cannot stop exceeding expectations in 2025. They could pack it in and begin preparation for next season, and their inaugural campaign would still be considered an overwhelming success. That approach is simply not in head coach Natalie Nakase's DNA.
The future is much more important to the Valkyries than the 2025 season, but they are still candidates to be active at the WNBA trade deadline. With Thornton out for the year and Billings on the mend, Golden State could potentially be eyeing a blockbuster move.
SG Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
The Valkyries have a well-rounded roster, but they lack a true go-to scorer. Thornton's injury only worsened that issue, with the 10th-year forward leading the team with 14.0 points per game on the year. Golden State's top scorer is now 35-year-old Tiffany Hayes, who is responsible for 12.0 points per outing.
There are few scorers in the WNBA better than Arike Ogunbowale, who might be more available at the deadline than many would think. Ogunbowale, 28, has not meshed with Paige Bueckers the way the Dallas Wings had hoped, resulting in a career-low 15.7 points per game while shooting just 36.6 percent from the floor. The optics of her down year get worse due to the simultaneous rise of rookies Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly.
At 28, there is no reason to believe that Ogunbowale is declining; she has just not transitioned smoothly into her new role. Ogunbowale had the ball in her hands all game for the past few seasons, but is now spending most of her time as the No. 2 option behind Bueckers. When she is on, Ogunbowale is still one of the best scorers in the league, but she is not as effective off the ball as James has been.
Dallas' future is undeniably tied to Bueckers, and Ogunbowale's fit with the team's new young core is like oil and water. A change of scenery would seemingly benefit both sides. With Golden State, Ogunbowale would return to her comfort zone as the No. 1 option on a team that struggles at times without an elite isolation scorer.
The fit would not be seamless, but if the Valkyries seek offensive help at the 2025 WNBA trade deadline, Ogunbowale is their best realistic target. Golden State could begin sending offers with a package that includes players like Hayes, Kate Martin or Cecilia Zandalasini to complete the deal.
C Stefanie Dolson, Washington Mystics
Without Thornton and Billings, the Valkyries have a dire roster need to address at the trade deadline. Their frontcourt is left considerably depleted, particularly with the physical play that both women will no longer bring to the court. Billings will return at the end of the year, but Golden State could fall entirely out of the playoff picture by then if they do not address the void.
Several teams have turned to center-dominant rotations in 2025, but not many of them are available at the trade deadline. The Washington Mystics are one of the few teams with a surplus of serviceable players at the position. The sudden emergence of Kiki Iriafen next to Shakira Austin has made former starters Stefanie Dolson and Aaliyah Edwards potentially available on the market.
Edwards would be a nice addition, particularly for a young team like the Valkyries, but Dolson might be a better fit for where Golden State currently finds itself. The 33-year-old does not impress anybody with her box scores, but brings nightly defensive intensity and elite shooting for the position. Dolson is a rare three-and-D center who would be an ideal backup behind Temi Fagbenle.
Dolson has fluctuated in and out of starting lineups over the last five years, but now finds herself in a bench role with the Mystics. She signed a two-year deal with Washington in 2024, making her one of the team's expiring contracts. As solid as she has been for the franchise, Dolson is simply the odd woman out and no longer needed on the roster. Of the team's frontcourt options available at the deadline, Dolson is the most attainable at the cheapest price.
Although Dolson is currently averaging a career-low 3.1 points per game, she has not looked like a declining athlete in her 12th professional season. Her waning minutes have primarily contributed to her decreased production, but Dolson's biggest issue is her uncharacteristically poor 25.5 percent three-point shooting clip. She was never a player for whom the Mystics called plays, but Dolson now gets almost no clean looks. A move to the Valkyries at the 2025 WNBA trade deadline would benefit all parties involved.
PF Myisha Hines-Allen, Dallas Wings
For many of the same reasons that the Valkyries could use Dolson, they need a player like Myisha Hines-Allen on their roster. Golden State does not just need size; they need physicality on the block. Hines-Allen is not a high-level scorer or stat-stuffer, but brings nightly intensity on both ends of the court.
Without Thornton and Billings, the Valkyries are currently without their two most physical forwards. Hines-Allen cannot replace Thornton's offensive versatility, but she can be the same type of enforcer down low. Without Thornton or Billings in the lineup, Nakase continues to tinker with her starting lineup, but cannot find the right fit. Hines-Allen could be the missing piece the team needs.
Nakase has experimented with a double-center starting lineup, featuring Iliana Rupert alongside Temi Fagbenle, and a small-ball rotation with Martin. So far, none have worked the way the Valkyries want them to. Nobody on the roster can replace Thornton, but without any frontcourt depth, the Coach of the Year candidate has been forced to get creative. Acquiring Hines-Allen would not be an immediate fix, but it would resolve many of the team's issues and alleviate pressure on the first-year head coach.
The Wings have to be content with what Hines-Allen has given them thus far, but would not hesitate to let her go. They have their potential long-term answer with rookie center Luisa Geiselsoder, and Maddy Siegrist has the aesthetic of a future breakout star. After sending DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx, Dallas is clearly open to moving some of its veterans in favor of the team's youth movement.
Depending on how aggressive the Valkyries want to be at the 2025 WNBA trade deadline, they may have their sights set on a bigger target than Hines-Allen. But given their current situation, adding a physical hustle player to their depleted frontcourt rotation would be their best move.
