The Seattle Storm have utilized their core designation on Gabby Williams. This decision indicates that the talented wing will receive a one-year contract at the maximum WNBA salary of $249,244, preventing her from signing with another team as a free agent during the offseason. Although players have historically sought trades after being cored, this move ensures that the Storm will gain value if Williams decides to leave Seattle.
Gabby Williams, a standout defender, joined the Storm mid-season after representing the French national team, where she won an Olympic silver medal. In her 12 games with the Storm, she achieved a career-high average of 10.3 points, along with 4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Unfortunately, the Storm faced a disappointing end to the season, being swept by the Aces in the second round of the playoffs. They entered the offseason with both Nneka Ogwumike and Williams as key free agents.
In December, Jewell Loyd reportedly requested a trade from Seattle, according to sources. Loyd, a six-time All-Star and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, is coming off her least efficient season, averaging 19.7 points with a shooting percentage of 36%.
If Williams seeks a trade, the Storm may consider moving both her and Loyd, potentially reshaping their roster ahead of the 2024 season. Conversely, if Williams remains with the team, she could become a cornerstone alongside Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith.
There were speculations that Williams joined the Storm under the assumption that they would not use the core designation on her. However, sources indicated that Williams and her team were not surprised by this decision and have been collaborating with the Storm on her future options.
Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum Headline WNBA Core Designations
Each WNBA team can only assign one core designation per offseason, and players can only be cored twice in their careers. Williams is the fourth player to receive this designation from her former team, joining Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces). While Stewart is expected to remain with the Liberty following their championship victory, Sabally has indicated she will not return to the Wings, and Plum’s future with the Aces remains uncertain.
Additional teams may still core players in the coming days. The Golden State Valkyries might offer Monique Billings a core designation, despite her previous performance not matching that of typical cored players. The Connecticut Sun could potentially core Alyssa Thomas, and the Chicago Sky might consider a player like Chennedy Carter.
Given the situation, if the Storm were to use the core designation, Williams was indeed the likely choice, as Ogwumike has already been cored twice and is ineligible for another designation.
