In one of the most newsworthy free agent moves in WNBA history, 10-time All-Star Brittney Griner has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Dream, according to Alexa Philippou. The short-term contract will allow Griner to re-enter free agency next year when a new collective bargaining agreement and higher salaries are expected to be in place.
Griner, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, has spent her entire career to this point with the Phoenix Mercury. An unrestricted free agent, she was unable to be cored by the Mercury, which allowed her to truly explore the market for the first time in her career.
This report comes in wake of a separate report from Philippou earlier Tuesday that the Mercury had agreed to acquire Alyssa Thomas and Tyasha Harris from the Sun in a blockbuster trade that will send Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen and the No. 12 pick to Connecticut. Thomas' arrival in Phoenix all but assured that Griner would not be back.
Sure enough, Griner quickly agreed to a deal with the Dream, who were in desperate need of frontcourt help. Entering free agency, Naz Hillmon was the only true big under contract in Atlanta for the 2025 season.
Griner averaged 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game last season, while also leading the league in field goal percentage (57.9). Once one of the most fearsome defenders around, Griner has morphed into more of an offensive force. There's no question she can cause serious problems for opponents with her size, but how she will fit into new coach Karl Smesko's offensive attack remains to be seen.
Smesko, hired from Florida Gulf Coast earlier in the offseason, employs an analytic approach that emphasizes space and 3-pointers. "His fast-paced, innovative style of play will be attractive to our players and fans alike," Dream general manager Dan Padover said after hiring Smesko.
Griner is not known for her range or her speed, and would have been a better fit for previous coach Tanisha Wright's system, which focused on pounding the paint. From a pure talent perspective, though, she was the best big the Dream had a realistic chance to add.
