The Minnesota Lynx have been gutted. They have lost Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepherd to the Dallas Wings, Bridget Carleton to the Fire and DiJonai Carrington to the Sky. That is more than half of their regular rotation last year who played significant minutes in their run to become the No. 1 seed with a 34-10 record. While this lack of retention was expected by coach Cheryl Reeve, who has only relayed happiness for her former players for “getting the bag,” she is disappointed for the Lynx too. 

“We were prepared. We knew that players were going to be very interested in cashing in. I heard “the bag” and ‘cashing in’ a lot,” she said.  “Look at our Lynx players. I don’t know what our total is up to, but it’s north of $5 million. We’re so happy for them. It’s tough for the Minnesota Lynx to have our team broken up this way, but this is life.”

The number is beyond 5 million, as the 2026 reported salaries of everyone other than Maria Kliundikova combine to approximately $4.8 million. The expansion draft saw Kliundikova join the Tempo, and her salary details remain undisclosed. It was always going to be impossible to retain many of the pieces who are searching for a better opportunity and paycheck. That applies especially because of the major salary bump in this CBA. 

However, it will be a blip on Reeve’s resume that she was unable to win a title with such an elite group. The salaries that they are now receiving further highlight just how good this Lynx team was. They reached the finals in 2024 and only made the semifinals this past season. 

“We’ll find our way forward and be fans of those players that gave so much to the Lynx in the 64 games in two years that they won together. They had a lot of joy in what they were doing. But this is professional sports,” Reeve further said. “I think we’ve entered a completely new era in how players look at things. Could you prepare for that? No. But here we are.”

The Lynx have cored Napheesa Collier and have retained Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride while signing Natasha Howard. That is the direction this team is going in.  The CBA was decided just last month, so nobody knew what the situation would be in free agency. And the teams have very little time to negotiate, with it lasting mere days. So, every team needs to just ensure they have a competitive squad. While the Lynx have lost many of their past contributors, they have just gained a major one in the draft.

Cheryl Reeve Commits To Changing Perception After Drafting Olivia Miles

Cheryl Reeve has historically been known for being strict towards rookies. She hasn’t always given them time on the court in their rookie seasons. For example, last year they drafted Anastasiia Kosu at No. 15 in the draft and she played only 3.8 minutes a game in 21 games. In 2024, they picked Alissa Pili at No. 8, and she played just 6.3 minutes a game as a rookie. Obviously, it’s hard to give the youngsters time on the court while being a contender, but this trend has followed Reeve through her career. However, after drafting Olivia Miles at No. 2 in the 2026 draft, she committed to changing this perception. 

“Maybe I can shed some of this idea that we don’t play rookies,” Reeve said. “You will see Miles on the floor.”

Reeve was all praise for Miles, calling her “the first real point guard” they have had since Lindsay Whalen. She maintained that it was not a shade to Courtney Williams. In fact, Williams and Miles will “be great for each other,” Reeve said. “I envision, much like we do with Hiedeman, playing Courtney alongside another playmaker, she actually enjoys it.”

Miles certainly has the makings of a superstar. In her final season in college, she averaged 19.6 points, 6.6 assists and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 48.1% from the floor and 35.1% from three-point range. Her vision and IQ are impeccable and the best in this class. Miles can run the floor while maintaining her scoring, which makes her even more unique.

With her, Williams, Napheesa Collier, Howard and McBride, Reeve seems to have consolidated enough for the major losses.