The Atlanta Dream are one of the closest knit teams in the WNBA.
To be fair, every team in the league may say the same thing about their locker room. But over the course of the last year covering the Dream, I could see and feel a unique and authentic closeness within this group. The players clearly love Coach Karl Smesko and his relaxed, for the most part, demeanor. They also share a special bond with one another.
You can see it in the little things. Look at how often the crew of Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Naz Hillmon post unprovoked TikTok videos together. Watch how Te Hina Paopao engages with the team and fits naturally into the culture. It is easy to see the love inside this locker room.
Because of that closeness, there was real concern as the expansion draft approached. Losing one of those pieces could have hurt both the chemistry and the roster.
Going into the draft, teams were allowed to protect six players. For Atlanta, the obvious protections appeared to be the starting core of Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon, and Brianna Jones. My assumption was that rookie Te Hina Paopao would have been the sixth protected player.
That left Nia Coffey, Shatori Walker Kimbrough, Taylor Thierry, Maya Caldwell, and Brittney Griner exposed in the expansion pool.
Each of those players would have been difficult to lose.
Nia Coffey is one of the most consistent voices representing the team in media sessions and has strong relationships across the locker room. Losing her would have been tough for both the roster and the culture.
Then there is Brittney Griner. Any expansion team looking to make a splash could have targeted a veteran star like Griner. Although she moved to the bench late last season in favor of Naz Hillmon, the Dream still benefited from the powerful frontcourt tandem of Brianna Jones and Griner. Losing her would have been a major shift for Atlanta’s interior rotation.
Taylor Thierry would have been another difficult loss. Dream fans already watched a similar situation unfold when Laeticia Amihere left Atlanta and later developed into a defensive force with the Valkyries. Thierry is still developing and should continue to grow in Year Two of the Smesko system. Losing a young player with that kind of upside would have been a hard pill to swallow.
In that sense, the Dream were fortunate. None of those players were selected.
However, Atlanta did not walk away unscathed.
The loss of Maya Caldwell is actually significant.
Caldwell brings scoring and playmaking ability that is rare for a bench player. In fact, when Rhyne Howard missed time due to injury, the player who stepped up the most outside of Allisha Gray was Maya Caldwell.
Whenever she checked into the game with the second unit, Caldwell immediately looked to attack the rim and create scoring opportunities. Her aggressiveness kept Atlanta’s offense alive during stretches when the starters were resting.
Last season she became one of Coach Smesko’s most reliable chess pieces. When Jordin Canada missed time, when Howard needed relief, or when the starters needed a reset, Caldwell could step in and keep the scoring from falling off.
That type of versatility is not easy to replace.
The Portland Fire are also gaining a player with strong leadership and deep faith. Throughout the season, Caldwell openly expressed her reliance on God during both pregame and postgame media sessions. She spoke candidly about staying ready for opportunities.
That mindset paid off once when she signed a ten day contract with Atlanta that eventually turned into a permanent roster spot.
Now she has another opportunity. This time it could be a chance to become a major contributor, or even a star, on a new team looking to build its identity.
Atlanta will miss Maya Caldwell.
The Dream’s core group, along with Paopao, are not fully out of danger yet as free agency approaches. Major players around the league are available, and even Atlanta’s own stars such as Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada will attract attention.
The landscape of the league has also changed. Teams are now operating with a salary structure that allows spending up to around seven million dollars compared to roughly one million previously. Max contracts are becoming more common, and teams may now pursue players aggressively if they are willing to offer star level deals.
Some organizations may view certain players as max level talents while their current teams see them more as strong starters.
That dynamic could make this one of the most interesting free agency periods the WNBA has ever seen.
But for today, the Dream can breathe a little easier.
What could have been a nightmare turned into something much more manageable.
Players Selected in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft
Portland Fire
• F Bridget Carleton, Minnesota Lynx
• F Carla Leite, Golden State Valkyries
• G Luisa Geiselsoder, Dallas Wings
• C Emily Engstler, Washington Mystics
• F Maya Caldwell, Atlanta Dream
• G Chloe Bibby, Indiana Fever
• G Haley Jones, Dallas Wings
• G Nyadiew Puoch, Atlanta Dream
• F Sug Sutton, Washington Mystics
• G Nika Muhl, Seattle Storm
Toronto Tempo
• G Julie Allemand, Los Angeles Sparks
• G Nyara Sabally, New York Liberty
• C Marina Mabrey, Connecticut Sun
• G Aaliyah Nye, Las Vegas Aces
• G Lexi Held, Phoenix Mercury
• G Maria Conde, Golden State Valkyries
• F Maria Kliundikova, Minnesota Lynx
• F Adja Kane, New York Liberty
• F Nikolina Milic, Connecticut Sun
• F Kitija Laksa, Phoenix Mercury
• G Kristy Wallace, Indiana Fever
(Photo provided by Atlanta Dream Media )
