Draft picks<\/p>\n
The Washington Mystics finished 2025 with a 16-28 record and in 10th place. It was a better performance than was expected, but it still put them in the draft lottery. As a result of the lottery and some auspicious trades, the Mystics have three picks in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft \u2014 their own, No. 4 overall, Seattle\u2019s at No. 9 and New York\u2019s at No. 11. Washington also has an extra second-round pick from their 2024 trade of Myisha Hines-Allen, so they\u2019ll pick No. 19 and No. 30. Lastly, they retained their own third round pick, No. 34 overall, for a total of six picks in the upcoming draft. All this is good news for a team that began overhauling itself with youth last year and is looking to continue building through the draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under contract<\/p>\n The Washington Mystics have a lot of young, cost-controlled depth, but the crown jewels are undoubtedly 2025 WNBA All-Stars<\/a> Sonia Citron<\/a> and Kiki Iriafen<\/a>. After stellar rookie seasons, they are under contract for an unprotected $80,408 each. Citron<\/a> could be a No. 2 option on a true contender \u2014 she broke the Mystics\u2019 rookie season scoring record set by Chamique Holdsclaw in 1999<\/a> \u2014 and Iriafen looks like a quality big for years to come<\/a>.<\/p>\n Georgia Amoore<\/a> was Washington\u2019s third first-round pick in 2025, picked No. 6 overall out of Kentucky, but missed the entire 2025 season after injuring her ACL <\/a>on just the third day of training camp. The 5\u20196 point guard will be a 25-year-old rookie coming off an ACL tear, so it is hard to predict what her play will look like in 2026. She averaged<\/a> 19.6 points, 6.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game in her fifth and final collegiate season. If her potential as the team\u2019s long-term point guard comes to fruition, she is under contract for only $77,156, unprotected.<\/p>\n Lucy Olsen<\/a> was comparably picked much later in the same draft, No. 23 overall, but had some impressive moments and played well above her draft slot. The 5\u201910 guard averaged<\/a> 4 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists in just 12.4 minutes per game with an effective field goal percentage of 47.5%. Outside of her solid performances, Olsen\u2019s teammates and coaches praised her<\/a> for staying ready, putting in extra work and continuing to support her teammates even as her minutes fluctuated throughout the season. Her $70,653 unprotected salary is the team\u2019s cheapest contract.<\/p>\n The Mystics acquired second-year guard Jacy Sheldon<\/a> in August via a trade that sent Aaliyah Edwards to the Connecticut Sun<\/a>. This is Sheldon\u2019s third team in two WNBA seasons, but the 25-year-old is a talented shooter and defender. Unfortunately, after playing 28 games for Connecticut \u2014 where she averaged<\/a> 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 24.1 minutes per game, shooting 47.0% from the field and 41.2% from 3-point range \u2014 she played just two games for Washington, then missed the remainder of the season to injury. The Ohio State product is under contract for an unprotected $82,399.<\/p>\n Extension candidate<\/p>\n Sheldon is Washington\u2019s only player under contract not coming off their rookie season, so, during this offseason (pending CBA changes), Washington has to make a decision about the fourth-year team option on her contract. If the team does not exercise its option, Sheldon would become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. The fourth-year option would pay $93,636 and be fully protected. Acquiring Sheldon at the cost of Edwards<\/a> indicates that the Mystics had a firm belief in Sheldon\u2019s potential impact. So, it is a smart move to keep her under low-cost, team control for another year.<\/p>\n Contracts<\/strong><\/p>\n Jacy Sheldon – $82,399<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Sonia Citron – $80,408<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Kiki Iriafen – $80,408<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Georgia Amoore – $77,156<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Lucy Olsen – $70,653<\/p>\n
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\n<\/ol>\n Value of all protected contracts:<\/strong> $0 Unrestricted free agents<\/p>\n Compared to many other teams, Washington has very few unrestricted free agents \u2014 just Stefanie Dolson<\/a>, Alysha Clark<\/a> and Jade Melbourne<\/a>. Two experienced, accomplished veterans and one of the league\u2019s youngest players.<\/p>\n Dolson, a 6\u20195 center who was a 2021 WNBA Champion with the Chicago Sky, had a down year. With Iriafen\u2019s quick adjustment to the WNBA and Shakira Austin returning from injury, Dolson rarely played more than 20 minutes a game and averaged<\/a> a career low 3.7 points per game, plus 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists, less than her career average of 4.4 and 1.8. As a strong big who can also stretch the floor with her 3-point shot, Dolson is a great veteran to have on your team. But now 34 years old, she may not fit into Washington\u2019s rebuild plans and look for more playing time elsewhere.<\/p>\n Clark is a similar story. The league\u2019s oldest player at 38 years old, Clark returned to Washington via a midseason trade that she requested<\/a> after having signed with Seattle in free agency ahead of the 2025 season<\/a>. Clark had previously played for the Mystics when she joined as a free agent in 2021, after winning the 2018 and 2020 WNBA Championships with the Seattle Storm. Following two years in Washington, she spent two years in Vegas, winning WNBA Sixth Player of the Year and another championship in 2023. Unquestionably an experienced winner, the lockdown defender was, however, overpaid in 2025 given her playing time, which did increase in Washington<\/a> after a sharp decrease in Seattle. Given that a desire to play and be utilized reportedly motivated her trade request, the same desire will likely shape where she decides to sign in free agency.<\/p>\n Free agent spotlight<\/p>\n Still just 23 years old and entering her fourth WNBA season, Melbourne is a young yet experienced point guard worth keeping around. The Australian already has a bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics<\/a>, where she was named the tournament\u2019s Rising Star<\/a> after starting all six games for Australia and averaging 7.0 points, 2.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Averaging<\/a> the most playing time of her WNBA career in 2025 (23.4 minutes per game), the 5\u201910 guard\u2019s averages of 5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 40% from the field, aren\u2019t exactly eye-popping, but they are solid. Pacey, creative and aggressive to the basket, Melbourne is likely to continue to improve and could add to the team\u2019s young core.<\/p>\n Restricted and reserved free agents\u00a0<\/p>\n Washington has two restricted free agents, Sug Sutton<\/a> and Shakira Austin<\/a>, and two reserved free agents, Emily Engstler<\/a> and Madison Scott<\/a>. Both distinctions only become official when a Qualifying Offer (QO) is sent to the player, otherwise they become an unrestricted free agent.<\/p>\n If a QO is extended to a restricted free agent, the player can negotiate an offer sheet with a team other than their last team. However, that player\u2019s prior team has a \u201cRight of First Refusal\u201d by matching the offer sheet. If the team matches the offer sheet, which must be for a multi-year contract, the player signs a contract with their original team on the terms agreed upon with the new club. If a QO is extended to a reserved free agent, however, the player is subject to that team\u2019s exclusive negotiating rights.<\/p>\n The biggest question the Mystics will have to answer is how much Austin and Sutton are worth. Austin will be the player they should be most keen on retaining as her return to something close to full health<\/a> reminded everyone that she is ideally part of Washington\u2019s future, looking at an Iriafen-Austin post pairing for years to come. However, there are injury concerns<\/a> with Austin, who played just 19 games in 2023 and 12 in 2024. They may hope to avoid paying Austin too much given that history, but they might not have a choice if another team is willing to take the risk on her.<\/p>\n Sutton is not as big a priority, but she did have a solid year after being thrust into a much bigger role than expected before Amoore\u2019s injury. In 2025, the 5\u20198 guard appeared in all but one game for Washington,\u00a0averaging<\/a> 7.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game shooting 42.2% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n Engstler should receive a reserved qualifying offer and continue to provide post depth in Washington. Though she is just 6\u20191, she plays bigger than she is with toughness and spaces the floor with her 3-point shooting. The No. 4 overall pick in 2022, Engslter had a winding WNBA career before finding a spot<\/a> in D.C., where she has been a strong contributor and a good player to keep under team control.<\/p>\n
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Value of all contracts: <\/strong>$391,024<\/p>\n