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After a whirlwind offseason that took place in a compressed time frame, the Valkyries leaned into continuity, and — with nine days until the 2026 season opener in Seattle — the roster is nearly set.

All that’s left to determine is which players will secure the final roster spots and who will join the team on developmental contracts. 

A front office, led by GM Ohemaa Nyanin, doubled down on last year’s foundation, then made a big free-agency splash by signing All-Star wing Gabby Williams. Veronica Burton returns as the team’s long-term engine on a three-year deal. Janelle Salaün, Kaila Charles, and Iliana Rupert return on multiyear contracts, reinforcing a core that showed it can execute Nakase’s system. Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes, and Cecilia Zanadalsini signed one-year deals too.

Add in veteran center Kiah Stokes and last year’s draft-and-stash European playmaker Justė Jocytė, both on guaranteed contracts, and Golden State has plenty of depth. With those newcomers, 10 of the Valkyries’ 12 roster spots are essentially solidified. 

Kate Martin, who was the only Valkyrie under contract during the offseason (now in the third year of her rookie agreement), has appeared to be a lock throughout camp. Nakase’s praise of Martin has been consistent, emphasizing her vocal leadership, locker room impact, and value as a connective, glue-type player. 

That trust showed up in Saturday’s preseason game. Nakase gave Martin the start, and she responded with eight points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes (third-most on the team) in a 78-76 win over Seattle. 

On Tuesday, Golden State announced that Martin has a grade-two quad strain and will be reevaluated in a week. Quad strains can linger, and recovery timelines often stretch to four to six weeks. Availability, not performance, could interrupt what otherwise looks like a clear path to the roster. 

Saturday night’s rotation offered a clearer window into what the final roster decisions may hinge on even as a short-handed Valkyries team played without a good chunk of its core.

Williams was in the building, just not on the floor. She arrived in the Bay Area last week and has been watching practices from the sideline since Monday — resting after concluding her title-winning season with Fenerbahce in Istanbul. 

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The Valkyries are waiting on a few more core reinforcements. Charles, Salaün, Rupert, and Zandalasini are expected to arrive in the Bay Area this week as their international seasons have wrapped. Nakase said there’s no timeline for when they’ll be integrated into on-court work as the team plans to give each player a window for rest and recovery.

The team is proceeding without a timetable for Jocytė, who is competing with Uni Girona in the Liga Femenina playoffs in Spain. Nakase said she isn’t concerned if Jocytė misses a few early-season games.

Still, timing could make a difference. If Jocytė’s arrival is delayed and Martin’s injury lingers, that could leave Golden State with just 10 available to start the season — a scenario that might force players who earn developmental spots (and are allowed to appear in 12 games) into action sooner than expected. 

Even if specific roles are unsettled, Saturday night’s game helped tighten the lens on where the competition is concentrated — in that last spot and the two developmental slots, which were created as part of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement. 

The group vying for opportunities includes Kaitlyn Chen, Laeticia Amihere, Marta Suárez, Ashlon Jackson, and Miela Sowah. 

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After being part of a splashy draft-day trade, Suárez isn’t necessarily a lock to break camp as part of the 12-player roster. Golden State could keep the Texas Christian product on a developmental contract but would risk losing her following a 14-day exclusivity period if another team has an open spot and wants to sign her.

Injuries and late arrivals could end up clearing a path for Suárez to fill a meaningful role at the beginning of the season, but an anticipated logjam in the frontcourt might explain why Golden State was comfortable trading back with Seattle and bypassing the opportunity to make a selection with the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft.

Chen, in particular, has made a strong case to secure a full-time spot. The second-year point guard led the team in minutes and played the entire second half in place of Burton, running the offense in a 78-76 win over Seattle. Chen kept busy in the offseason, between playing in Prague and stateside in Athletes Unlimited, and her progress showed: She looked more comfortable and confident in control — steady with the ball, organized in her reads — and had a hand in tailoring pivotal sequences down the stretch. 

Midway through the second half, Chen pulled at her jersey to signal she needed a breather. Nakase declined, leaving her in to manage the game. It was a small exchange but a telling one — a vote of trust, and perhaps a glimpse at how seriously Chen is being considered for a larger role. 

“Her ability to push through, that’s what I like to see sometimes, especially when a player is really uncomfortable. How are they going to respond? … Then you could just see her leadership got louder, her determination,” Nakase said after the game. “Her confidence, I think, grew at that point.” 

Amihere’s stock is also on the rise. She’s a force on the boards, has taken a noticeable step defensively, and continues to show flashes of upside in her offensive creation. But Golden State’s positional needs could work against her in this tight race as Stokes can effectively cover most of the interior responsibilities Amihere would fill. 

Would Amihere accept a developmental spot (which comes with a weekly stipend and benefits — not close to a minimum salary) after making the roster midseason last year? If not, she’s the type of player who could find a larger role elsewhere. 

Sowah, the Australian guard, had her big moment Saturday in Chase Center, knocking down all four of her attempts from 3-point range in the second half. Her performance didn’t surprise her teammates, who say she’s been just as automatic from beyond the arc at camp. 

Prior to Saturday, 6-foot-3 Greek center Mariella Fasoula seemed to be in contention for a developmental role, but she was last off the bench in the preseason showcase and played just six minutes.

The Valkyries’ other second-round draft pick, Jackson, looks like an obvious candidate for a developmental slot. The former Duke guard played the second-most minutes Saturday, and her impact wasn’t properly captured in the box score. Her edge showed up in defensive disruption, ball pressure, and embracing the offensive assignments that don’t always translate statistically. 

As Martin deals with an injury and the Valkyries await the arrival of several rotation pieces, Nyanin and Nakase still have plenty of chances to evaluate which roster contenders are best equipped to provide depth as Golden State begins its quest to earn a second consecutive playoff berth.