Ah, it’s that time again, midseason creeps up fast, doesn’t it? July 14 will mark the halfway point of the 119-day WNBA season. On that day, all the unprotected contracts will lock in. Teams have until 5 p.m. ET Sunday to make the no-consequence cuts. You can expect the franchises to move really fast. It’s because pre-midpoint cuts free up cap space and roster spots. This will set up 7-day re-signings or open trade doors. And the Minnesota Lynx have already made one such move.
The Lynx waived the No. 8 overall draft pick from 2024, who was already a legend before she ever even stepped onto a WNBA court. Alissa Pili is the kind of athlete little Indigenous and Polynesian girls whispered about on playgrounds as their role model. Her journey began at the University of Southern California, where she played for the USC Trojans from 2019 to 2022. After which, she transferred to the University of Utah. This rich background led her to be featured in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, in the same building as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Bill Russell. “We have her jersey in what we call the opportunity gallery,” said Alex Pedro.
However, “At that time, I had so much stuff going on where I didn’t really realize how big it was,” Pili once said. She revealed that even her family had no news about this achievement either. “I didn’t really share that with them at the time. Maybe I should [have],” she recalled the regret. Which is why, when Cathy Engelbert called her name as the 8th overall pick by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Pili made sure this moment was different. The interviewer asked what it meant to be representing her family on that stage. She responded, “My family is everything to me, and they’ve helped me get here. Without them, I wouldn’t be standing up on that stage, and I owe everything to them.”
It was a bright night for Alissa Pili, the interviewer even told her that, “Cheryl Reeve is absolutely going to love you. I know her style, and she is going to love you, which is why she drafted you. Congratulations!” However, after a little while, the reality sank in for her. Pili did not get as much spotlight and as many chances as she had expected. She was receiving regular DNPs, which hit her confidence hard. “It’s definitely taken a toll on me mentally,” she said. “I’ve never been in this position before, and my coach knows that.” The pattern continued this year, as she played 14 games, averaging just 5.9 minutes per game. And the final blow came just hours ago, right after the Lynx’s 87-81 loss vs. the Sky, where she remained on the bench again.
By waiving Pili today before her contract turned fully guaranteed tomorrow they can avoid paying the second half of her salary this season
It will give the Lynx a little over 43.8 thousand to sign a player for the rest of the season
Who would you like to see them sign? #lynx https://t.co/M22rqewKRa
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) July 12, 2025
The Lynx have finally waived her. Why, you ask? It was a strategic decision that came right from the top. “By waiving Pili today before her contract turned fully guaranteed tomorrow they can avoid paying the second half of her salary this season. It will give the Lynx a little over 43.8 thousand to sign a player for the rest of the season,” read Andrew Dukowitz’s tweet. The Lynx now have a $43,800 margin within their salary cap to sign another player to their 12th roster spot.
As for Pili’s future, she hasn’t publicly responded to the news yet. But knowing her, it’s likely she’s handling it with grace, just as she did in the past when she openly spoke about the mental toll of limited opportunities. “There aren’t a lot of rookies that get to be in this position I’m in, and the fact that our team is so successful has been really fun to be a part of,” Pili said. “It’s just been a very great learning experience. I’m trying to soak everything in”.
But is there someone at the center of all these waivers, much like the speculation that surrounded the Phoenix Mercury news?
Is Lynx eyeing
Even before the mid-season madness officially kicked off, it was clear that veteran free agents like DeWanna Bonner and Emma Meesseman were quietly influencing front office chessboards across the league. Now, Bonner’s already landed in Phoenix, and it doesn’t take a genius to see that waiving Murjanatu Musa was the clearing of that runway. But Phoenix wasn’t done with their moves. Just hours after Kiana Williams dropped 17 points, the Mercury waived her, too. Naturally, speculation swirled. Was this to make room for Emma Meesseman, who, by the way, is still on the fence about rejoining the W?
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the Lynx’s 87-81 loss to Chicago exposed the team’s biggest soft spot: an unreliable frontcourt bench. Sure, the starters held up their end of the bargain as Collier dropped 26, McBride added 17, and Courtney Williams pitched in 13, but the bench combined for just 11 points. That does not really scream depth. So, clearly, Coach Cheryl Reeve wants to catch the biggest fish in the ocean.
After all, Meesseman is considered by many as the best player currently not on a WNBA roster. She also recently led Belgium to the EuroBasket title and was named MVP of the tournament. And her links to Minnesota are far from random: she’s played overseas with both Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride at Fenerbahçe, and was coached by Eric Thibault, who just so happens to be the Lynx’s associate head coach.
So, as Collier told the Star Tribune, “I think Emma would fit so perfectly”. And don’t forget that the 6-foot-4 Meesseman is a two-time WNBA All-Star and the 2019 Finals MVP from her time with the Washington Mystics. “It would give us an even better chance of winning,” Collier hence said. “I love playing with Emma. She’s such an elite player. Not only a great player but also a great person.”
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