“Sandy is one of the winningest coaches in this league. She just won a championship last year.” With these words, Natasha Cloud declared the importance of Sandy Brondello to the New York Liberty. The results, however, were completely opposite. The New York Liberty front office decided to remove Brondello, signaling they are rebuilding for the future. And the Liberty general manager has already started looking forward to the next season.

But there is only one thing stopping him: the lack of information around the CBA talks. However, he is equally curious about the 2026 lockout, if it is happening. As the Liberty GM puts it in a press conference, “Yeah, I’m honestly not sure about the lockout and the CBA and all that stuff. Trust me, I would love to know.”

Furthermore, he also gave a subtle warning to the WNBA, but in a diplomatic manner. This he did while showing how the New York front office will deal with stars for their future. “In terms of player feedback, I think it would be foolish not to best understand what they feel they need moving forward. But also understanding that this is one of the many factors that’ll go into the ultimate decision.” With this approach, Kolb shows a diplomatic stance of the New York front office as the WNBPA and the league take opposite ends.

With the October 31, 2025, deadline coming and going, the WNBA and players’ union are still to find common ground. They remain far apart, especially on revenue sharing, which players say has to grow with the business. Back in September, Liberty player Breanna Stewart even claimed these delays would “push back everything else.” With this, she allegedly pointed out that the 2026 free agency and expansion could be delayed if no agreement is reached.

Yet, Kolb has set his sights on the next year’s free agency. Many WNBA veterans are set to become unrestricted free agents in 2026. A situation driven by the expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) at the end of the 2025 season. But still, there’s plenty of uncertainty surrounding 2026.

Stars like A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and other WNBA stars will be free agents. Enticing them will be every franchise’s main goal. The first step for New York, many WNBA fans feel, starts with the decision to let go of Sandy Brondello. “We have a massive opportunity in front of us. So do a lot of teams with the amount of free agents that are going to be on the board. Also, our cap sheet is relatively clean.”

And he believes this is a make-or-break time for many franchises amidst CBA negotiations. “So this is honestly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many franchises. I also feel that the next time, I don’t know what the contract lengths will be, but three to four years of the WNBA future is going to be decided in a matter of weeks, meaning when ultimately free agency kicks off,” he said.

But a question that arises for the New York Liberty is which coach will be influential enough to attract many top WNBA stars. If not Sandy Brondello, then who? One name that pops up in many minds is Dawn Staley.

Can Dawn Staley be the Liberty’s 2026 answer to Sandy Brondello’s firing

Dawn Staley needs no introduction in the basketball community. Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson and 2023 ROTY Aliyah Boston came forward under her tutelage. She is currently leading the South Carolina women’s team, holding the title of the highest-paid women’s coach to date. In her contract, Staley gets an annual $4 million salary along with an annual growth of $250,000.

Her influence in both the NBA and the WNBA can be a factor that entices New York to bring her on. But WNBA reporter Erica Ayala feels New York is not enticing enough for Staley. And the major reason for that is passion. “There isn’t an ounce of me that has the desire to go to the next level… my passion is for young people,” Staley said back in 2022. Showing her dedication to the younger generation.

Looking at the current pool of coaches, there isn’t any other big name in the running who will instill faith in the hearts of the pool of free agents. Although the Liberty GM is thinking ahead, the immediate action to fire Sandy Brondello can also backfire. Amidst the CBA talks and lockout warnings, this could be detrimental.