On September 30, 2024 the WNBA announced the expansion draft would be held on December 6, 2024 and televised on ESPN, and also announced the draft rules.[2] Each existing WNBA team provided the league office with a list of all players to which it held contract rights as of the final day of the 2024 regular season. These 12 teams were allowed to protect a maximum of six players from their 2024 rosters (or for whom they held playing rights).[2] The Valkyries were then permitted to select one unprotected player from each team's 2024 roster, but only one unrestricted free agent and that player could not have played under a "core player" contract for two or more seasons.[3] During the draft, the Valkyries selected Monique Billings, who most recently had played for the Phoenix Mercury, as their sole unrestricted free agent draft pick.[4]
Golden State was permitted to make trades prior to the expansion draft, including agreements to (1) select a given player and trade that player to another team, or (2) select or not select an available player from a given team. However, no such agreements were made public.[5]
