Fans finally have the answer to why it all happened! Three weeks ago, the Golden State Valkyries drafted Flau’jae Johnson as the No. 8 overall pick, and while everyone felt like it was a perfect fit, the franchise went on to swap her rights with the Seattle Storm for the rights to the No. 16 pick, Marta Suarez, and a 2028 second-round pick. However, when the Valkyries’ GM was asked why? All she had to say was, “I’m going to take a beat to be able to eloquently give a response.” However, that was back then because Ohemaa Nyanin has revealed the behind-the-scenes for this move.

During the Valkyries’ media day, the General Manager pointed her finger at cap flexibility.

“The decision-making around the draft had a lot to do with cap flexibility. We had the opportunity, or we thought we had the opportunity, to potentially sign another athlete,” she said.

As per the new CBA, first-round pick Flau’jae Johnson was all set to receive $309,622 in her first season, which would total up to $1,386,092 over four years. But because of the trade, they saved around $40,000, as Saurez would get only $270,000.

Though after the draft, the Valkyries had close to $750,000 of cap space, they ended up spending the majority of that re-signing Tiffany Hayes. So with the goal to “sign as many as returners as possible,” and long-term flexibility in mind, the Golden State front office went down this path. That mindset also stems from the fact that this franchise has already lost two key players. So reflecting on the expansion draft, Nyanin didn’t hide her disappointment and said, “Expansion draft was pretty sad. We lost two elite athletes in María Conde and Carla Leite.”

Leite had already shown promise as a rotation guard, averaging 7.2 points and 2.0 assists across 37 games, while Conde represented a high-upside international piece the team never got to integrate. So in that light, the push for flexibility starts to look like a front office trying to stay prepared after already taking a hit.

“My job, very specifically, is to make sure that we maintain an understanding of what’s happening today and then what could happen in the future. And so the flexibility, that is needed to be able to withstand whatever could happen in the future,” she further added.

But does that make fans feel any better? Most probably not, because the Valkyries then went on to waive Suarez.

The Player They Wanted… Until They Didn’t

It took a while, but fans were finally coming to terms with a move that didn’t make any sense. Because it felt like it was Marta Suarez that the franchise wanted all along.

“Marta is fierce. She’s fearless,” Nyanin said after the trade. “We have looked at her for a really long time. … She has a very high basketball IQ. Her high character is off the charts. … We felt like she would be a great fit.”

She even played for the Valkyries in the preseason, where she dropped 5 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, and a steal in 14 minutes. But then, three days ago, the Valkyries went on to make another move that has left everyone baffled.

They waived six players in one go, which also included Suárez. Yes, they have waived the very player they traded Flau’jae Johnson for. And alongside her was:

• Ashlon Jackson (No. 23 pick),
• Mariella Fasoula,
• Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda,
• Miela Sowah,
• Cate Reese

But why? The short answer is – this team is still trying to understand the new CBA.

“There are a lot of things that we need to take into consideration when it comes to the status of an athlete, where it comes to their years of experience, etc. And I think that there’s more to come. There’s a lot more to think through in the next 48 hours,” she added. So from their 2026 draft class, the only player they still hold rights to is Kokoro Tanaka from Japan, whose name isn’t even on the active roster.

However, the good news is – the Valkyries can still keep Marta Suarez even if she doesn’t make the main team right now. Under the new rules, teams are allowed to have two extra “developmental” players apart from the usual 12-player roster. These players can train with the team and even play in up to 12 games during the season. So, even if Suarez isn’t on the main roster, she could still stay with the team and get chances later.

At the same time, while the Valkyries try to make sense of all this mess, Johnson is already carving out her own path with the Storm.

Flau’jae Johnson Turns the Page Quickly in Seattle

If there were any doubts about how Johnson would adjust to her new team, she’s already answering them on the court. In just two preseason outings (ironically, one against the very Golden State Valkyries team that traded her), Johnson has put up a strong early impression. Across games against the Valkyries and the Portland Fire, she dropped a combined 32 points in just 43 minutes, showcasing the scoring ability that once made her look like a perfect fit in Golden State.

So in Seattle, there is nothing but excitement around her potential. “We’re really excited about how she aligns and helps us this year, but also is going to be a really important piece for us as we’re building for the future,” the Storm GM Talisa Rhea admitted.

And it’s easy to see why. Flau’jae Johnson is coming off a strong final season at LSU, where she averaged 14.2 points while shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc, so she is expected to carry that same rhythm into the pros, and so far she hasn’t disappointed.

With the regular season set to tip off on May 8, the Storm will open against none other than the Valkyries, so Johnson will get a chance to face her former team again. And this time, it won’t just be about proving a point; it’ll be about setting the tone for what can be expected from her and the Storm in the 2026 WNBA season.