The WNBA saw plenty of movement during free agency, and Aliyah Boston and Candace Parker shared their thoughts on the biggest winners and losers during a recent episode of their podcast Post Moves.
Boston listed her own Indiana Fever among the teams that came out strong this offseason, while also giving credit to the New York Liberty. Parker pointed to the Las Vegas Aces, lauding their front office for handling free agency well.
The Minnesota Lynx was one team that both believed had a disappointing offseason.
Boston said she was concerned after seeing the Lynx lose several key rotation players, including Jessica Shepard, Alanna Smith, and Bridget Carlton.
“What makes me nervous about Minnesota is I feel like they really lost like all of their core,” Boston said. “Like seriously, like Alanna, Jess, Bridget Carlton.”
Parker agreed with her co-host, but also pointed to a positive takeaway from their offseason. She likes the idea of pairing Napheesa Collier with rookie Olivia Miles, whom Minnesota selected with the No. 2 pick of the 2026 draft.
“I do think that they’ve lost their core, but I do like the pairing of Naphessa Collier and Olivia Miles,” Parker agreed.
Carlton and Smith were regular starters last season, combining for 16.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. Whereas, Shepard led the second unit, averaging 8.0 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Even with stars like Collier, Courtney Williams, and Kayla McBride leading the way, those departing players were a major part of Minnesota finishing the regular season with a league-best 34-10 record.
Aliyah Boston dismisses potential beef between Caitlin Clark and new Fever teammate
When the Indiana Fever selected Raven Johnson with the No. 10 pick in the 2026 draft, fans immediately flooded social media with reactions. Much of the response was tied to Johnson’s past controversial moment with Caitlin Clark during the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
In that Final Four matchup, Clark famously waved Johnson off on defense, daring her to shoot. The incident quickly went viral and led to Johnson facing heavy criticism, with many mocking her confidence on the offensive end. Johnson later admitted the backlash became so intense that she even thought about quitting basketball.
Due to this history, some fans assumed there could be tension or chemistry issues between Johnson and Clark. But Aliyah Boston dismissed that idea, being confident that both players would have no trouble moving forward together.
“It’s so funny because the fans always have more beef than the players actually do,” Aliyah Boston said. “You read all this stuff and fans are hating on one person, hating on another, and you’re playing with that said person. I think it’s going to be fine.”
Read More: Indiana Fever’s Raven Johnson Gets Messy With DiJonai Carrington and Jackie Young Romance Rumors
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