Golden State Just Traded Away a Top-8 Pick to Seattle, Then Waived the Player They Got Back

The Golden State Valkyries pulled off one of the strangest draft-day moves in recent memory, and it's already blowing up in their face. On draft night, they shipped the rights to LSU's Flau'jae Johnson, the No. 8 overall pick, to the Seattle Storm in exchange for TCU's Marta Suarez at No. 16 and a second-round pick in 2028. Here's the kicker: they waived Suarez last week.

So basically, Golden State gave up a lottery prospect to create cap flexibility and got nothing to show for it. Johnson is already looking like a cornerstone piece for the rebuilding Storm, while Suarez is out of the picture entirely. When Valkyries GM Ohemaa Nyanin explained the move at media day this week, she said it was all about maintaining financial flexibility to chase another athlete. That athlete apparently never materialized.

Gabby Williams Becomes the Real Story

If there's a silver lining for Golden State, it's the signing of All-Star forward Gabby Williams. The veteran is coming off a career year in Seattle, putting up 11.6 points and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 85.3% from the free-throw line. Williams was also third in the league's Defensive Player of the Year voting, adding 2.3 steals per game. That's the kind of production the Valkyries needed after finishing above .500 as an expansion team last year and sneaking into the playoffs.

The Valkyries are leaning hard on continuity too. Coach Natalie Nakase kept the core intact from that surprising inaugural run, banking on veterans Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes and Kayla Thornton to keep the hunger alive. "We're hungrier even more because we got a taste of the playoffs," Nakase said at media day. "Our whole locker room right now is hungry. I want to win. I want to win at any cost."

Storm Gambling on Youth and Injuries

Meanwhile, Seattle is taking the opposite approach. The Storm cleaned house this offseason, parting ways with five starters who accounted for 67.5 points per game last season, or 82% of the team's scoring. New coach Sonia Raman, an assistant with the New York Liberty last year, is building around lottery picks Johnson and Awa Fam, plus returnees Ezi Magbegor, Dominique Malonga and Jordan Horston. Except the Storm are dealing with serious injury complications right now. Magbegor is expected to miss the opening month with a right foot injury from international play. Fam is still finishing her season overseas. Horston is coming back from an ACL injury that wiped out her entire last season.

Raman's approach is simple: "It's next player up. That's always how it is." The Valkyries and Storm tip off Friday night in Seattle, and it's shaping up as a fascinating clash between Golden State's win-now energy and the Storm's rebuild-from-scratch reality.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.