Natasha Cloud’s empty fate in WNBA free agency ahead of the 2026 season isn’t just a surprise; it’s an outrage without any proper justification. Murmurs have been circulating for the past few weeks that Cloud’s situation is due to her political beliefs off the court, and she is getting blackballed by the league. Her former team, the NY Liberty’s GM, did clarify the fog against this stance. “What she stands for is what I stand for. I believe in speaking up for the voiceless. There is no better embodiment of that than Natasha Cloud,” Jonathan Kolb had said three days back. Yet despite this, a few experts aren’t buying into Kolb’s approach.

In her latest assessment, Basketball show host Rachel A. DeMita lashed out at Kolb, questioning the necessity of his statement, despite not signing her for the season. “I was so confused by this because, why are you saying anything? That’s one thing, guys. Front offices need to stay off social media like please just get off social media,” she said.

“Please don’t address social media rumors. And also, why are you addressing a social media rumor when you’re not signing her? So, I don’t get it. I mean, it’s nice, and it’s nice of him to say. I’m sure all of these things are true, but why do you have to come out and say something? You’re not signing Natasha Cloud,” DeMita added further.

The blackball rumors that have emerged around Cloud lack a clear root and an official source. It’s mainly due to Cloud’s unbridled activism on various political issues. Now, it’s true that, courtesy of these enhanced political movements, the dynamic guard has faced some backlash.

Though Cloud has faced pushback online, there hasn’t been any official report that Cloud is being blackballed in the WNBA, courtesy of it. Furthermore, even Cloud hasn’t cleared the air over this growing narrative in any post, making the situation even more uncertain.

“I have yet to speak,” Cloud had shared. “That’s intentional & my power. I’ve just worked. No sulking, no whining. Work. & I will continue to work as I always have. Proving myself right year after year after year. (11) to be exact. I know who I am. I know my value/worth. & ain’t nothing traditional.”

As a result, Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb’s statement in such a situation just doesn’t seem fitting to DeMita, especially when it stems from social media and the team isn’t signing the player, citing “targets, and free agency, and the condensed nature of free agency, and how quickly things really move.”

For the NY Liberty, the financial constraints were already a factor in signing Cloud. For context, the Liberty had already retained their Big Three, including Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, mainly for standard max salaries. This already takes a large chunk of the available $7M salary cap after the new CBA. On top of that, the team also signed free agent Satou Sabally to a contract worth roughly $800K per season.

Thus, adding a player of Cloud’s caliber, who is a vet and started almost all Liberty’s games last year, could have depleted its finances. This is exactly what DeMita added further in her assessment, remarking that the financial constraints are pretty clear in this regard, which is again why the Liberty GM didn’t have to overexpress himself going out of his way in the press conference.

“The NY Liberty made some very big moves during the offseason, and they also signed Satou Sabally,” DeMita said. “They have Sabrina coming back, and they have Breanna coming back. They have used a lot of their cash on some of these bigger-name players, and that’s why they probably don’t have space for Natasha Cloud.”

While the uncertainty around the former 2019 WNBA champion grows, The Athletic journalist Annie Costabile has something to say on the matter as well.

Annie Costabile Decodes a Possible Reason for Natasha Cloud’s Situation

Amid an already complex spectrum, Costabile has offered a free agency perspective. The Athletic journalist has previously shared that the league isn’t blackballing Cloud. And added that a few WNBA teams are interested in signing her, which sparked immense backlash from fans. But the possible reason Cloud put forward for the latter’s current position seems quite feasible.

“Decisions for some teams were made quickly when the signing period opened, which could have taken potential opportunities off the table for Cloud before she was fully aware of her standing in New York’s plans,” Costabile said.

Now, Costabile’s assessment makes sense when the entire picture is taken into consideration. The performance that Cloud pulled off in her only season at the Liberty was quite substantial enough to make her believe that she did enough to at least get a roster spot on the team. After all, most franchises wouldn’t let go of a 10-year veteran who averaged 10.1 points and 5.1 assists last season.

But as reality set in, the Liberty didn’t turn their attention towards Cloud as they had other free agency targets and signings to make, such as Satou Sabally. And therefore, Cloud was left out of the league, despite giving it her all on the court in her decade-long career.

All in all, it will be interesting to see how this season fares for Natasha Cloud.  Although most teams are on the verge of finalizing their rosters, a player of Cloud’s stature in the market will ring a bell for many if such an emergency arises for any team.