Headlined by the signing of All-Star forward Satou Sabally, the New York Liberty’s offseason has indicated that the team’s ready to return to its championship pedigree.
The Liberty brought in a new head coach, Chris DeMarco, parting with Sandy Brondello after being upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury. The team’s also expected to return stars Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones.
Let’s take a look at the Liberty’s moves so far this offseason:
Additions
Sabally, a 6-foot-4 forward, led the Mercury in scoring last year and helped her team beat the Liberty en route to a finals run. The three-time All-Star signed a multi-year deal with the Liberty, per ESPN.
Sabally was one of the most coveted free agents in a year where there were over 100 as she averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in her only season with the Mercury. The Liberty struggled offensively last season, and although Sabally is an inconsistent three-point shooter, she provides additional playmaking at the forward spot, averaging five assists per game in 2024 with the Dallas Wings.
Sabally should also be able to rekindle on-court chemistry with Ionescu – the two played together at Oregon.
The team also added Chicago Sky guard Rebecca Allen and French undrafted rookie point guard Pauline Astier.
Allen played with the Liberty from 2015 to 2023, and after stops in Connecticut, Phoenix, and Chicago, the 33-year-old is back.
Astier signed a one-year deal with the Liberty after being one of the most sought-after European prospects, per ESPN.
Returners
The Liberty are returning most of their players, highlighted by their big three, Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones – the trio that led them to a title in 2024.
Stewart and Ionescu haven’t signed official deals to return, but both told reporters at USA Basketball training camp earlier this month that they would stay. The Liberty cored Ionescu, meaning they have exclusive negotiating rights and can automatically offer the star guard a year-long supermax contract.
Jones, who won WNBA MVP in 2021, signed a multi-year deal with the team, per ESPN.
The Liberty also extended qualifying offers to sharpshooter Marine Johannes and guard Rebekah Gardner.
Departures
The Toronto Tempo took Nyara Sabally, younger sister of Satou, in the expansion draft. The center dealt with knee injuries, only appeared in 17 games last season and was not in the playoff rotation for the Liberty
The team also lost Isabelle Harrison, who is joining Tempo, and Kennedy Burke, who signed with the Connecticut Sun, in free agency.
Harrison averaged 10 minutes in 34 games with the Liberty last season as one of its reserve forwards. Harrison, who also dealt with knee injuries that disrupted her last few seasons, might be able to benefit from a fresh start. She averaged only five points last season, the second-lowest in her career after her rookie season.
Burke is coming off a career year, having averaged eight points in 21 minutes per game last season. She was one of the better volume shooters on the team, shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc on just over three attempts per game.
New coaching staff
The Liberty opted out of renewing Brondello’s contract, who coached the team to its first championship. Brondello was with the team for three years and was hired as the inaugural coach of the expansion franchise Toronto Tempo. All three assistant coaches from the 2025 season also departed.
New coach Chris DeMarco spent 13 years as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. He said during his introductory press conference in December that he wants the Liberty to be player-led and collaborative.
Quiet draft
The Liberty had just one pick in Monday’s draft and opted to take Manuela Puoch, an Australian forward, with the 41st overall pick. Puoch is not expected to report to the Liberty this year and will remain overseas.
One big question that remains is whether fan favorite point guard Natasha Cloud will be back, as she’s still a free agent. Cloud started in all 41 games she appeared in last season and averaged just over 10 points and five assists.
Training camp is set to begin April 19 before the team’s first preseason game on April 25 against the Indiana Fever.
