GSV Expansion Draft Prediction: Washington Mystics

building a mystery

The primary index for the whole Expansion Draft Series is here.

Fansided: Karlie Samuelson

This assumes that Washington keeps Elena Delle Donne, who at the very least would be a valuable trade chip if she decides to play in 2025. If that is in fact the case, Samuelson could find herself unprotected after averaging a career-best 8.4 points per game this season. She's a knock-down shooter with enough juice on defense, and that's a valuable player for any team to have.

SI.com: Karlie Samuelson

This was the toughest decision by far because Washington disperses their playing time extremely evenly. This also means that Washington will probably have the hardest time deciding who to protect. If Karlie Samuelson doesn't [get protected], her three-point shooting and steady contributions on the wing would help round out Golden State's roster.

Valhalla.Basketball (very detailed analysis at site): Stefanie Dolson or Karlie Samuelson or young internationals

No matter which direction that the Mystics take, there should be players left unprotected that the Valkyries should be excited to pick. Their ultimate strategy may depend on who all of the other teams leave unprotected so that they can decide on how many more established veterans that they will choose compared to younger prospects as there will be some of each on the list from this team. The young internationals Jade Melbourne and Sika Kone could be interesting choices if left unprotected due to how much room they still have to grow into their roles while already having experience in the league. The Valkyries will have to decide how much of the salary cap they want to commit before considering veterans on guaranteed contracts like Stefanie Dolson or Karlie Samuelson.