The WNBA and the WNBPA remain at a crossroads as the CBA negotiations continue. The delay in reaching an agreement is already having a ripple effect. We are already in February, and the offseason proceedings have not even started. This time, there is the added aspect of the expansion draft as well, with two teams joining the WNBA(Portland in 2026, Toronto in 2027).

The latest CBA proposal from the governing body did not include any encouraging signs, and there are rumors that the players might be planning something drastic to push the leaders into a swifter resolution.

Rachel DeMita has reiterated the same in her latest YouTube video, highlighting how the WNBPA’s recent Instagram activity can be a hint or a warning of what is about to come. The analyst also voiced her opinion on how a players’ strike can affect the CBA negotiations and other factors.

DeMita said, ” There have also been rumors that the players might actually strike during NBA All-Star weekend. But I want to point out to you guys something that the WNBPA posted on their Instagram.”

“It is actually an interesting video, but I don’t think that this is a fair comparison to what the WNBA players are dealing with at this moment in time in 2026. I will also say that the strike that the NBA players did in 1964 was that they did this strike minutes before the All-Star game started. If the WNBA players strike now, they’re not doing much besides stopping the conversations between both sides, and also making it so players don’t have a place to train.”

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The Instagram video is a collaborative post by the WNBPA and the On The Line account and dives into how the 1964 strike shaped the future of the NBA. However, the situation of the players in 1964 cannot be compared to what the WNBA stars are facing right now. The players back then lacked basic amenities and rights.

There was also no collective bargaining agreement during those times. The WNBA already had a CBA, which expired after the 2025 season, and they have proposed a new one, with the two parties discussing its terms. To add to it, DeMita used Caitlin Clark’s example to highlight the difficulties players could face as a result of the strike.

Clark has been using the Indiana Fever arena and staff to train as part of her recovery process before the season. The strike would deprive players of access to such amenities, and this could affect their conditioning and recovery before the season. Also, the strike will only delay the CBA agreement further, and the fears of a potential canceled season would only grow.

All signs point toward a delayed 2026 WNBA start

The CBA negotiations have caused a lot of issues in the offseason proceedings. Almost every expert had stated that the season could be delayed in case the governing body and the players’ union cannot agree to a new CBA within the first two weeks of February.

The latest CBA proposal tabled by the WNBA means the two parties are still far apart on key CBA points like revenue sharing and the salary cap. Even WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike highlighted how a lot of work still needs to be done before a CBA agreement is reached.

If the rumor of a players’ strike comes to fruition, it could further delay the CBA agreement. Even if an agreement is quickly reached, the fact that the rules of expansion have not been clarified to the expansion teams is pretty daunting.

The expansion teams need to know the player pool and the rules to start scouting their potential targets in the expansion draft. Also, Toronto and Portland would also need to know which roles to target while recruiting internationally, as well, which would depend on the players they can get in the expansion draft.

Add to that the WNBA Draft and Free Agency, and a delayed start is nearly inevitable with each passing day.