I put up a piece about all my thoughts, analysis and speculation about the Amihere signing and Linskens waiver. But let's keep all comments under this article.
Leite is on a $228k / 3y contract. She'll be paid by GSV. It's essentially $0 to the Golden State corp, the only impact is the salary cap. And I believe waived contracts still count towards the cap.
This year, however, GSV is way under the cap so they can eat a whole contract and afford a whole player on a rest-of-season contract.
On the other hand, all the contracts and rookie scales will go up, so I would think Leite and Martin are going to be huge bargains starting 2026.
And yes, I expect Leite to get more playing time once Vanloo is away.
Well, I don't think they can change it for this season, and next season will be the new CBA, so they'll hopefully include that change. It's not like there aren't talented players available to fill the lots, I'd say the available women for the 13th spot are above the comparable NBA players filling out 13.
Okay, may need to sit down for this. Richard Cohen says GSV (re-)signed Amihere. I haven’t seen official confirmation yet.
[[
So Golden State have today waived Linskens, temp suspended Zandalasini, and signed Amihere. As with any move the league will need to approve it, but they should be able to temp suspend players leaving and simply sign replacements on regular contracts into their mass of cap space. If they want. #WNBA
]]
The Zandalasini suspension sounds scary but it’s just a break for EuroBasket to free up a roster spot.
hmm, I think I know where the Valkyries social media sits (supposedly). If I go over there and ask them to post on Bluesky, I wonder how badly that will be taken and how quickly security will jump on me.
We'll pitch in for bail! At one point there was a theory that the NBA/WNBA had some deal with X and was discouraging teams from joining Bluesky (which seemed a bit unlikely anyway), but NBA and WNBA official accounts are now on Bluesky, so there really isn't any good reason for them not to support their fans that feel like X is toxic.
So, did they cut Kyara now because they were worried some other team might sign Amihere as to a hardship contract and wanted to lock her up? We'll probably not hear the details. I feel bad for Linskens, but am excited to see Amihere back - hope she can keep up her production from pre-season.
From my last post, you can see that Amihere is a rest-of-season contract. However, any contract can be waived without hurting GSV cap-wise or financially.
I know there’s a lot of nostalgia for Haley Jones, but that’s a lot of teams to be recently passing on her… I haven’t watched her to have an opinion myself
Not advocating to sign Haley Jones. It's just that last week, on the wnba player news, it said she signed a "rest of season contract " with the Mercury. Today, I read she got waived. Strange that she immediately got waived after a "rest of season" contract. I'm wondering if it's actually a temporary hardship contract.
GSV itself announced the Amihere signing as follows:
[[ The Golden State Valkyries announced today the signing of forward Laeticia Amihere, who is set to join the team for it’s upcoming game against the Los Angeles Sparks at 7:00 p.m. on June 9 at Crypto.com Arena. Amihere will wear #3 for the Valkyries.
Amihere was a participant in Golden State’s training camp, averaging 17.4 minutes, 12.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game on 60.0 percent (9-15) shooting in the team’s two preseason games this season. The forward began her WNBA career with Atlanta and played for two seasons with the Dream, appearing in 37 career games. ]]
No mention of the specific contract type. Hopefully someone will ask the team.
Last season, I also saw a number of "rest of season contracts" on the player news. But it was actually a hardship contract. I saw it happen for 3 or more players on different teams. Can't remember who exactly. Actually... I think Mo Billings was one of them.
Maybe we can ask Marisa Ingemi if Amihere's contract is hardship, or a true "rest of season" roster spot to take Linskens' place?
Yeah, that sucks, especially with the timing. I mean, why not wait until after Euro B - with Temi out, are they just going to play Kerr tiny ball for the next 3 weeks?
Great win for Coach Nat! Wow... the first few seasons, Veronica Burton was a poa defender specialist like Sacramento version of Davion Mitchell. But the last couple of games, she has transformed to Heat version of Davion Mitchell ! She's attacking more aggressively and going back to her Northwestern U roots of being a scorer.
They are fierce defenders. Easy switching. Making a wall down under the basket. Foiling AW., especially Billings. Good shooting from several players. Love the Linsken push shot.
I put up a piece about all my thoughts, analysis and speculation about the Amihere signing and Linskens waiver. But let's keep all comments under this article.
If Leite is signed past 2025, then she has to be paid out in full (like $300, right?) if she’s waived?
I’ve wondered if she’ll get more playing time after the EuroB departures, but that probably doesn’t make sense.
Leite is on a $228k / 3y contract. She'll be paid by GSV. It's essentially $0 to the Golden State corp, the only impact is the salary cap. And I believe waived contracts still count towards the cap.
This year, however, GSV is way under the cap so they can eat a whole contract and afford a whole player on a rest-of-season contract.
On the other hand, all the contracts and rookie scales will go up, so I would think Leite and Martin are going to be huge bargains starting 2026.
And yes, I expect Leite to get more playing time once Vanloo is away.
Thx for explaining.
Are Martin/Leite signed through 2026, or later?
Check out the details at this great site: https://herhoopstats.com/salary-cap-sheet/wnba/team/2025/golden-state-valkyries-11efb2ba-e2c6-f520-8806-9a93b15b3fec/
Gracias. I know about them! Did not pay close attention to the name, though. Duh
Chicago Sky player Courtney Vandersloot has torn her ACL.
Yeah, looked like that when she went down. Tough year for the Sky.
Injuries are adding up on a daily basis for the WNBA across the board. They need to increase roster sizes sooner rather than later.
Well, I don't think they can change it for this season, and next season will be the new CBA, so they'll hopefully include that change. It's not like there aren't talented players available to fill the lots, I'd say the available women for the 13th spot are above the comparable NBA players filling out 13.
Definitely. I think there’s enough talent for a 15 player roster. The WNBA second round picks are struggling to even make the roster
Okay, may need to sit down for this. Richard Cohen says GSV (re-)signed Amihere. I haven’t seen official confirmation yet.
[[
So Golden State have today waived Linskens, temp suspended Zandalasini, and signed Amihere. As with any move the league will need to approve it, but they should be able to temp suspend players leaving and simply sign replacements on regular contracts into their mass of cap space. If they want. #WNBA
]]
The Zandalasini suspension sounds scary but it’s just a break for EuroBasket to free up a roster spot.
Looks like the team tweeted it out on the bad place (c'mon folks, get a Bluesky account):
https://x.com/valkyries/status/1931759886108668184
Roster Update: Golden State Valkyries sign forward
@_Theblackqueen_
.
Amihere will be available against Los Angeles on Monday.
hmm, I think I know where the Valkyries social media sits (supposedly). If I go over there and ask them to post on Bluesky, I wonder how badly that will be taken and how quickly security will jump on me.
We'll pitch in for bail! At one point there was a theory that the NBA/WNBA had some deal with X and was discouraging teams from joining Bluesky (which seemed a bit unlikely anyway), but NBA and WNBA official accounts are now on Bluesky, so there really isn't any good reason for them not to support their fans that feel like X is toxic.
So, did they cut Kyara now because they were worried some other team might sign Amihere as to a hardship contract and wanted to lock her up? We'll probably not hear the details. I feel bad for Linskens, but am excited to see Amihere back - hope she can keep up her production from pre-season.
@ericapricot.bsky.social:
[[
Valkyries waive Kyara Linskens.
- Didn’t play badly but as backup C, she lost minutes to playing small ball.
- Buzz that Iliana Rupert joins post-EuroB, thus need a roster spot
- Also can dream about Li Yueru or other Cs coming since w/o a move it makes June GSV lineups tiny with Temi off to EuroB
Oof It’s a cold business! Linskens and Leite both committed to skipping EuroBasket and both have been practically coach DNPs
]]
I wonder if Amihere is only signed to a temporary hardship contract, or a real roster spot.
I saw that Merc just waived Haley Jones.
From my last post, you can see that Amihere is a rest-of-season contract. However, any contract can be waived without hurting GSV cap-wise or financially.
I know there’s a lot of nostalgia for Haley Jones, but that’s a lot of teams to be recently passing on her… I haven’t watched her to have an opinion myself
Not advocating to sign Haley Jones. It's just that last week, on the wnba player news, it said she signed a "rest of season contract " with the Mercury. Today, I read she got waived. Strange that she immediately got waived after a "rest of season" contract. I'm wondering if it's actually a temporary hardship contract.
Aha, I take your point that the WNBA web site got that detail wrong for Jones. The team itself announced contemporaneously that it was a hardship contract: https://arizonasports.com/wnba/phoenix-mercury/phoenix-mercury-2/3585735/
GSV itself announced the Amihere signing as follows:
[[ The Golden State Valkyries announced today the signing of forward Laeticia Amihere, who is set to join the team for it’s upcoming game against the Los Angeles Sparks at 7:00 p.m. on June 9 at Crypto.com Arena. Amihere will wear #3 for the Valkyries.
Amihere was a participant in Golden State’s training camp, averaging 17.4 minutes, 12.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game on 60.0 percent (9-15) shooting in the team’s two preseason games this season. The forward began her WNBA career with Atlanta and played for two seasons with the Dream, appearing in 37 career games. ]]
No mention of the specific contract type. Hopefully someone will ask the team.
Also I see in the team’s official game notes: “Laeticia Amihere signed a Rest-of-Season Contract;” so all signs are pointing in the same direction.
Last season, I also saw a number of "rest of season contracts" on the player news. But it was actually a hardship contract. I saw it happen for 3 or more players on different teams. Can't remember who exactly. Actually... I think Mo Billings was one of them.
Maybe we can ask Marisa Ingemi if Amihere's contract is hardship, or a true "rest of season" roster spot to take Linskens' place?
Yeah, that sucks, especially with the timing. I mean, why not wait until after Euro B - with Temi out, are they just going to play Kerr tiny ball for the next 3 weeks?
Great win for Coach Nat! Wow... the first few seasons, Veronica Burton was a poa defender specialist like Sacramento version of Davion Mitchell. But the last couple of games, she has transformed to Heat version of Davion Mitchell ! She's attacking more aggressively and going back to her Northwestern U roots of being a scorer.
I love watching VB play on both ends. Her finishing is a little awkward resorting to running hooks but she’s making it work.
They are fierce defenders. Easy switching. Making a wall down under the basket. Foiling AW., especially Billings. Good shooting from several players. Love the Linsken push shot.
"Love the Linsken (sic) push shot." - ah well, last one we'll see
Burton, with 12 assists, was +40 in 32 mins. Everyone has good days, but that’s really Ballhalla.
Very impressive. Not afraid of anyone now.
They went full Valkyrie there. Amazing win
Nakase:
- After the PHX game, Veronica Burton watched the film on her own and made great adjustments.
- She loved the ABC interview after halftime. Wasn’t a change of her routine.
A little spicy with the “(Kate Martin) plays her ass off” for the midday Disney national TV crowd too, during that interview haha