Howdy Fire fans. It’s been a minute since I’ve written, including, you know, wrapping the historic first season of the return of the team. Not much to say other than: creating public-facing work can be energizing, or it can be draining, and it was draining me a bit for several weeks. But I am very much energized again, and hope to be in your inboxes more frequently. Cheers!

Welcome to the off-season, where fans of all teams make up trades and start wishcasting for their teams for months on end. Wishcasting is like shipping people on television shows, but for sports. Let’s just jump right into the practice, and do so with a focus on the four teams that are remaining in the WNBA playoffs. Also, let’s limit our purview to upcoming free-agents; we could imagine hundreds of trades with these four teams, but those are limitless. Free agency is very much limited.

We are going to use one of the best resources for W fans anywhere in the world: https://herhoopstats.com/, which compiles all player and team contract and financial information into one place, so we can see what each team is paying each player next season, and into the future.

Using that source, among others, let’s establish some 2027 numbers that we’ll use to make predictions:

WNBA Team roster size minimum: 12 players

WNBA Team maximum salaries in 2027: projected $8.25 million

WNBA Player maximum salary in 2027: $1.65 million

'Now, let’s check in on where the Fire will be next season:

Players signed for 2026: 7 (minimum of 12 needed)

Guaranteed Money in 2026: $3.34 million (projected $4.91 million available)

Average salary available for minimum new additions: $982,000

The Fire have a TON of money available in 2027; the only team with more will be the Connecticut Sun, who will then be the Houston Comets. But several players you know and probably want to continue being on the team might not be contracted.

Emily Engstler is a restricted free agent in 2027. That means that she is a full free-agent, but Portland can match the first official offer that is extended to Engstler to retain her on the team. The Fire can also negotiate directly with Engstler and craft their own deal without other teams being involved. In that case, I think it would be a terrible decision if Portland did not re-sign Emily to the longest contract they can. 2027 will be Engstler’s age 27 season, so she is in her physical prime while also becoming an elite defender and role-player in her first season as a starter. Teams will offer her a healthy contract, if they are able. It is nearly impossible to predict what kind of contract Engstler could be offered, with the rising salary cap and all of the relevant comparable contracts being created last season in a once-in-a-lifetime contract negotiating scenario (new Collective Bargaining Agreement, an absolutely booming industry, etc.).

Another big name is Portland’s second-ever draft pick, Freida Bühner. She is a reserved free-agent, which means the Fire can sign her at basically whatever rate they want. I imagine this will be team-friendly, and not terribly significant on the financial flexibility of the team.

The other name I think the Fire should think about re-signing is Holly Winterburn, also a reserved free agent. That would leave out Teja Oblak and Karlie Samuelson as free-agents. I loved both players’ time with the team, but veteran role players are not a high-priority for a young expansion team. That said, I could definitely see Karlie sticking around on a team-friendly deal, as she was a great off-court leader.

Okay, let’s do some wishcasting. Let’s go by end-of-season seeding:

Players signed for 2026: 7 (minimum of 12 needed)

Guaranteed Money in 2026: $4.6 million (projected $4.91 million available)

Average salary available for minimum new additions: $730,000

Free-Agents:

The Valks have 7 players on fully-guaranteed contracts for next season, with two restricted free agents, and two non-restricted free agents. Notably for the contracted players will be the return of Iliana Rupert, a young three-point shooting center from France who was drafted in the 2025 expansion draft. Rupert missed 2026 on parental/pregnancy leave, and is going to slot back in beautifully to this Valkyries team. It is going to feel incredibly unfair to the 14 other teams in the league.

With Kiah Stokes, the team’s current starting center, contracted next season, that means that backup forward/big Laeticia Amihere, who will be a restricted free-agent, could be gettable. Amihere will be 25 in 2027, shoots almost everything from the rim or from three, and is a great three-point shooter, which all fit the Fire’s preferences. What Amihere brings that no one on Portland currently does is interior defense. Laeticia was 4th in the league in block % in 2026, notably higher than anyone on the Fire. Portland was in the bottom third of defense around the rim last season, and they had struggles with rebounding a size in general. Amihere is not a giant of a player, but is an excellent defender with her length and intelligence. She would help solve a problem without taking away anything that the Fire already do well.

Amihere has not played very much, or at all, in the Valkyries first three playoff games. That says something about her current skill level, but also says something about her standing with her current team. Seems available to me!

The other Valkyrie free agents are all very good, but are older, and fill roles that the Fire have covered pretty well. That said, I wouldn’t be upset if the Fire signed any of them.

Players signed for 2026: 5 (minimum of 12 needed)

Guaranteed Money in 2026: $4.047 million (projected $4.203 million available)

Average salary available for minimum new additions: $600,000

Free-Agents:

The Aces have just 5 players signed for next season, and those don’t include two starters: Jackie Young, the 2026 Fiba World Cup gold medalist, and NaLyssa Smith, who unlocked the Aces potential in 2025 on their way to a championship. Additionally, six of their seven free agents are unrestricted, meaning Las Vegas is truly at the mercy of their own players' wants, needs, desires, and financial interests. Jackie Young is going to get a massive contract in 2027: she’ll be 29, she’s been an All-Star in 5 straight seasons, and she’s a 3-time champion (and could win a 4th right now!). If the Aces sign her at a near-max level, which she should earn, then they are going to have very little power to fill-out their team. They have a tough off-season to navigate.

It’s hard to wish-cast Young to Portland: she has been with the Aces her whole career, and the Fire have their guards of the future already on the squad with Carla Leite and the incoming Iyana Martin. But Young will be the second or third best players available this off-season, full-stop. Isn’t that what wish-casting is for?

Otherwise, NaLyssa Smith would elevate the floor and the defense of the Fire, and would be a huge spark to the team’s off-court relationship/Instagram content machine, which was severely lacking in their first season. I wouldn’t mind it!

Players signed for 2026: 9 (minimum of 12 needed)

Guaranteed Money in 2026: $6.18 million (projected $2.07 million available)

Average salary available for minimum new additions: $690,000

Free-Agents:

The Atlanta Dream are one of the most locked-up rosters in the league (Washington has just one free-agent this coming off-season). And the best free agent Atlanta will have is the player they signed just before the playoffs started: DeWanna Bonner, who is likely going to retire after this season anyways.

That leaves just Shatori Walker-Kimbrough as a free agent option. Walker-Kimbrough is a guard entering their age 32 season in 2027. She won a championship with the Washing Mystics in 2019, but has been a bench player for the past couple seasons. A solid veteran presence, but nothing to hyper-focus on, here.

Now, if we wanted to open up the trade possibilities with Atlanta, then we can cook something up. But let’s leave that for another day.

Players signed for 2026: 6 (minimum of 12 needed)

Guaranteed Money in 2026: $5.224 million (projected $3.026 million available)

Average salary available for minimum new additions: $504,000

Free-Agents:

New York has their five best players signed through the 2027 season, but that’s about it. Rebecca Allen has already announced her retirement after this season, so the veteran scorer is unavailable for this exercise. Rebekah Gardner had a great 2026 at age 36, but is a role player at best.

So that leaves one of the most exciting players on planet earth, who Fire fans should remember well: Marine Johannès, the most creative and exciting three-point shooter I have ever seen.

Kicking the Fire’s ass to some A.I. music. Love it.

Fire Coach Alex Sarama loves creativity, and loves three-point shooting. What more could you want in a free agent acquisition?

Marine is also national teammates with Carla Leite. This story is writing itself.

Make it happen, Portland.

There is a lot of wishcasting in our future. This is just a taste. Please, enjoy the W playoffs while we have them, because series are short, and things happen fast.

Please, let me know who you’d want to come to Portland next year on these semi-final teams. Then, we can start wishcasting the rest of the league.