It’s yet another disappointment for Hailey Van Lith. She has now been waived for the second time in less than a month into the 2026 WNBA season. For many players, that kind of setback could easily shake their confidence and raise serious doubts about what comes next. But Van Lith has approached both situations differently.

Her most recent waiver came from the Connecticut Sun on Thursday. And according to women’s basketball reporter Alexa Philippou, Van Lith has taken the high road with this latest setback. In a post that Philippou shared on X, she revealed that Van Lith is actually grateful to the Connecticut Sun for their transparency and for the opportunity they gave her. She also remains motivated to carry forward and build on the momentum she gained during her time with the Sun.

For a moment, it actually looked like Hailey Van Lith had finally found a safe landing spot with the Connecticut Sun. This is because she played in all nine games that the Sun have had so far this season. She even started three of them. And even though eight of those games ended in defeat, she still managed respectable averages of 8.1 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. Unfortunately, despite those numbers, the Sun have now let her go in order to make room for French guard Leïla Lacan, who is returning to the team following her overseas championship commitments.

The move becomes easier to understand when looking at Lacan’s standing within the organization. Connecticut selected her with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and she quickly emerged as one of the franchise’s most promising young players. During her rookie season, Lacan averaged 10.4 points, 3.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds and a team-high 2.2 steals across 25 games while making 15 starts. After recently leading Basket Landes to a French league title and earning Finals MVP honors overseas, her return was always expected to be a significant boost for a Connecticut team that has opened the season with a 1-8 record.

As it appears, Van Lith’s initial waiver almost mirrors what she has just experienced with the Connecticut Sun. Prior to the start of the 2026 WNBA season, she was still with the Chicago Sky, the franchise that originally drafted her in 2025. She participated in the preseason and made two appearances. And in those games, she produced highly impressive offensive numbers, averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.0 rebound per game. She was also shooting an outstanding 71.4% from the field. In fact, during the first preseason game against the Phoenix Mercury, Van Lith exploded for 20 points.

These performances make her waiver from the Sky even more surprising than what she has just experienced with the Sun. But just like Connecticut, Chicago’s decision was ultimately about replacing her with what they viewed as a better option. As it appears, the Sky are trying to build a roster geared more toward winning immediately. And so they preferred the experience of 10-year veteran point guard Natasha Cloud. So, her waiver was not really about her skill level or performance. Rather, it was simply a cold business decision.

A similar argument can be made regarding Connecticut’s decision. The Sun did not waive Van Lith because she failed to contribute. In fact, she appeared in every game and shot 47.1% from three-point range during her brief stint with the team. However, with Lacan returning after another successful season overseas and already established as an important part of Connecticut’s long-term plans, the Sun ultimately chose to create room for a player they believe can help stabilize the backcourt moving forward.

In fact, looking back at her career so far, it is safe to say that Hailey Van Lith has never really had a performance or talent problem. She put together a highly successful college career, one that was strong enough to make her the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. But perhaps what appears to be the root of her struggles was the injury that disrupted her rookie season. An ankle injury limited her to just 29 appearances during her first year with Chicago. As a result, she finished the season averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes per game.

But despite the rocky start to her professional career, Van Lith has continued to hold her head high. When the Chicago Sky waived her, she publicly thanked the franchise and its fans for being part of her journey. And now, following her waiver from Connecticut, she has maintained that same positive spirit and mentality. Hopefully, she is able to find a more stable landing spot sooner rather than later.

What Next for Hailey Van Lith After Her Second WNBA Waiver This Season?

After getting waived by the Connecticut Sun, Hailey Van Lith is now back on the waiver wire. According to WNBA rules, she can remain on waivers for 48 hours. During this period, any other WNBA team can claim her and inherit her existing rookie contract. If that happens, she would simply join a new WNBA team and continue her professional journey with them.

However, if no team makes a claim within that 48-hour window, Van Lith will become an unrestricted free agent. This means she will be legally free to negotiate a brand-new contract with any WNBA franchise. At this point, securing a standard roster contract might be unrealistic, considering every WNBA team has already filled its 12-player roster as required by league rules. However, there is still the possibility of landing a development contract or a hardship contract.

These alternative roster pathways could allow her to remain connected to a WNBA franchise without occupying a standard roster position. Connecticut itself may not be entirely out of the picture either. The Sun currently have one developmental player slot available, meaning a reunion could theoretically become an option if Van Lith clears waivers and the organization decides to keep her within its system.

These contract options would allow her to remain part of a team without significantly affecting its salary cap or roster number situation. And perhaps, given the solid performances she delivered with the Connecticut Sun this season, Van Lith remains an attractive target for franchises that find themselves in a position to bring in players under development or hardship exceptions.

Another option Hailey Van Lith can explore is taking her talents overseas. However, the structure of the international basketball calendar means she cannot do so immediately. Major overseas leagues in countries such as France, Spain, Turkey, and China are currently in their offseason. In fact, it was the conclusion of the French league season that allowed Leïla Lacan to return and ultimately take Van Lith’s roster spot with the Connecticut Suns. So, if she decides to pursue an overseas opportunity, she likely would not begin playing abroad until the fall.

But beyond all these possible next steps, the expectation is that Van Lith will continue training and staying in shape. And if a WNBA roster spot does not materialize over the coming weeks, she will most likely continue working and wait for movement in the midseason trade and buyout markets. That could ultimately create a legitimate roster opening for her. But what do you think? Do you believe another WNBA team will come calling before then?