PHOENIX — More details have emerged from the WNBA’s proposal to the WNBPA that could significantly affect how the regular season is run.
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Fans cheer during player introductions in the WNBA semifinal playoff game between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx at PHX Arena on Sept. 28, 2025. © Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The league’s proposed CBA includes removing in-season team housing and lengthening the regular season, with training camp pushed to mid-March. The proposal has already drawn widespread disapproval across the league and questions now linger over how the plan would even work.
Pushing the season into March not only affects players who compete in other leagues during the WNBA offseason, but also NCAA athletes who are still in the midst of March Madness. International players would also be forced to decide which commitments to prioritise.
Oct 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) dribbles the ball against the Las Vegas Aces in the first half during game three of the 2025 WNBA Finals at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Mercury have built their 2025 roster on many free agents and international players, so if the CBA passes, many of those players, or potential players, would be affected when shaping up the 2026 roster. A few have already committed to other leagues whose seasons would overlap with the WNBA’s newly structured calendar, including Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas, who has signed with Project B.
The Mercury, like many teams, have signed players to short-term contracts. These players rely on WNBA-provided housing to travel and live wherever they sign during the season. The same is true for rookies who may not have the financial resources to secure housing on their own. Without league assistance, players would need to find their own accommodations.
Oct 3, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Phoenix Mercury players react after their team was assessed a technical foul during the third quarter against the Las Vegas Aces in game one of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The problem is that many WNBA teams are based in expensive markets. Players for the Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, or even the Mercury, as Phoenix has become one of the more expensive cities, would now need to secure housing independently.
Without the stability of league-provided housing, players lose a crucial support system.
Former Mercury guard Natasha Cloud has already called out the changes, saying the players want team housing.
“This makes no sense for our younger players,” she writes on Instagram. “For the players that get cut and are stuck in leases instead of the teams that bring in replacement players, nor for players in bigger markets. Let alone talking about player safety in safe areas.”
Natasha Cloud comments on the WNBA’s proposal to cut team housing: pic.twitter.com/Tahf77lkn1
— chelsea leite (@chelsealeite) December 3, 2025
The proposal would undoubtedly affect every aspect of the league, including players from the Valley who have made commitments outside the WNBA.
As discussions continue to ramp up, the Mercury and the rest of the league must wait to see what happens next.
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
