The WNBA expansion draft will soon begin, allowing the new teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, to choose players from the existing teams. Teams are allowed to protect five players from their rosters, which has put them in a dilemma. Moreover, it would be a difficult decision for a stacked LA Sparks squad.
The Sparks consist of some big names, including Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, and Rickea Jackson. Cameron Brink was another valuable addition to the team in 2024, and she averages 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds thus far. Jackson is a rookie, and the other three are unrestricted free agents.
That leaves the team with one spot but three talented players on the roster: Rae Burrell, Azura Stevens, and Julie Allemand. The only way the team can protect more than one hooper is by using their draft capital.
If the team decides to protect the aforementioned veterans and crucial players, they could lose some vital bench players. Even though Burrell and Allemand were not the center of offense, they showed some flashes of a superstar in the making. If the Sparks decide to keep the drafting assets, they could lose both and the other bench players, Julie Vanloo and Sarah Ashlee Barker.
The Sparks ended their 2025 regular season in sixth place and missed the playoffs. Even though the team looks like a solid title contender on paper, it could not materialize on the court. Plum led the franchise in points and assists per game, and Stevens led the team on the board.
Should Rae Burrell look for a different WNBA destination?
Even though Rae Burrell mostly played off the bench in a talented LA Sparks squad, she has shown why she deserves to be a starter. She averaged a career-high 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game and led the bench in most of the games. However, several fans and analysts believe that she could be a franchise player for new expansion teams.
WNBA journalist Jordan Robinson advised the guard to move teams in the expansion draft, even if the Sparks promise to get her back. She said:
“Go get your bag and go be the face of the franchise of the Toronto Tempo.”
Things will be clear soon when the teams begin the expansion draft process, scheduled on March 3.
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