The 2025 WNBA trade deadline has come and gone—but it couldn’t have been quieter. Well, that’s largely due to the CBA buzz dominating the women’s sports landscape right now. But that certainly doesn’t mean deals weren’t done. As of 3 PM EST on Thursday, August 7th, teams are officially locked from trading any players until the offseason.

The highlight of the deadline was the deal that sent guard DiJonai Carrington from the Dallas Wings to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson, and the Lynx’s 2027 second-round draft pick. While it wasn’t the only transaction made, it certainly drew the most attention. At the same time, some teams chose not to participate in trades at all.

Which teams did not participate in the trade?

Well, there are seven teams stayed quiet this deadline—and topping that list were the New York Liberty and Indiana Fever. For the Liberty, there was simply no need to make a move; they already have a dominant core. As for the Fever, they were in line for a trade following DeWanna Bonner’s request, but couldn’t find an agreeable swap. They ended up waiving the veteran instead, to sign on Aari McDonald.

Other teams are as follows:

Atlanta Dream
Phoenix Mercury
Los Angeles Sparks
Golden State Valkyries
Chicago Sky

Given that the Dream and Mercury have been hovering near the top of the table, it makes sense to stay put. The spotlight, hence, has been on the Valkyries and Tyler Marsh’s team.

For Natalie Nakase & Co.,  an expansion team building its identity from scratch through the expansion draft, things have gone decently well. But critics have pointed out that they lack a true superstar to lead the way. While GM Oheema Nyanin had made clear they weren’t looking for one just yet in the pre-season, All-Star forward Kayla Thornton’s season-ending injury called for a move. But the Valkyries stuck to their vision.

Now sitting at a 14-15 record, they’re barely hanging on to the eighth and final playoff spot. But well, considering the CBA negotiations and the team’s ‘championship in 5 years’ goal, we can see them rather gearing up for the year ahead.

And, then there’s the Sky, who lost veteran Courtney Vandersloot to an ACL tear, while Ariel Atkins and eventually Angel Reese remained sidelined well before the deadline. With an 8-22 record, one recent win, and eight straight losses before that, it was clear the team needed a boost. Suggestions even went around to have Arkie Ogunbowale traded for Atkins, a Dallas-native to help with their offensive woes, but the season already looked lost.

So, what about the teams that did make moves?

Winners and losers of the 2025 WNBA Trade Deadline

The 2025 WNBA trade deadline may not have created the usual frenzy, but it still brought some significant shifts—especially for teams with long-term visions. One clear winner? The Minnesota Lynx, who pulled off a major move by acquiring DiJonai Carrington from the Dallas Wings.

Despite losing MVP candidate Napheesa Collier to injury, the Lynx are still sitting atop the standings and just got even more dangerous. Carrington’s defensive grit and offensive spark could be just what they need to hold the line until Collier returns.

But not every trade was a win. In Wings’ case, at least not for this season. Not only did they part ways with Carrington for minimal return — Miller averaging 3.9 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists — but they also waived Teaira McCowan without gaining anything in return. In the bigger picture, however, Wings secured themselves another young talent — thanks to her persisting rookie contract — heading into the massive free agency period filled with uncertainty. So put them in the grey area.

Meanwhile, the Connecticut Sun look to have secured a bright future by snagging Aaliyah Edwards in a smart trade with the Mystics, giving up only Jacy Sheldon. Pairing Edwards with Marina Mabrey—who was previously rumored to want out—might rejuvenate the team’s chemistry and make them a serious force moving forward.

And then there’s Washington, who loaded up on 2026 draft picks—but at the cost of veteran presence and team identity. While they struck gold in the last draft with Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, it’s uncertain whether lightning will strike twice as banking solely on youth could be a risky bet!