One of the easiest decisions Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb has to make this offseason involves Brianna Stewart.
The question shouldn't be whether the Liberty will name Stewart as a core player, but when.
Teams can assign core designations to players starting Saturday, and Stewart is one of the most obvious free agent candidates to receive what is essentially the WNBA's equivalent of the NFL's franchise tag.
Yes, it's no secret that Stewart has already made public his intention to stay in Brooklyn for another season after helping the Liberty win the franchise's first title in 2024.
So why burn the core designation if she's going to come back anyway?
In many ways, this is a win-win for both parties involved.
Under the current collective agreement, players can receive up to two core designations.
Stewart was named a core player for the first time in his career in 2024.
Doing the same thing this season would give the 30-year-old more flexibility to play where she wants at the tail end of her career, since she won't be eligible to be in the core in the future.
From the team's perspective, Liberty will retain exclusive negotiating rights with Stewart.
The core designation automatically puts Stewart on the table for a one-year, $249,244 supermax offer. It's a significant raise for a two-time league MVP, leaving the Liberty with a major cap crisis that still needs to be fleshed out. their roster.
But if history were to repeat itself, Stewart would offer Liberty more financial flexibility to build a championship-caliber support system around the six-time All-Star. may take advantage of discounted rates.
Over the past two seasons with the Liberty, Stewart has signed contracts below his value in order to improve the team.
According to HerHoopStats.com, Stewart will receive a base salary of $180,000 in 2023, his first season in Brooklyn after spending his career with the Seattle Storm.
Last season, the Liberty re-signed Stewart to a one-year deal worth $205,000, below a player's maximum salary.
Stewart's sacrifice gave the Liberty one of the highest-paid starting lineups in the league last season, paving the way for them to make several additional signings in free agency to add even more depth.
Currently, the Liberty has six players under contract through 2025, including most of the postseason starters.
Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betoniya Rainey-Hamilton and Leonie Fibich are among the key players expected to return from last season's squad.
Guard Rebecca Gardner, who is recovering from an Achilles injury, could also make her Liberty debut this season.
Marin Johannes, who missed last season due to the Paris Olympics but is recovering from an ankle injury sustained this offseason, could also be included in the 2025 squad.
Courtney Vandersloot, who started every game in the regular season but was benched during the postseason, is also an unrestricted free agent.
But there are obvious reasons why Stewart is a priority on the Liberty.
Stewart has led the Liberty team in scoring in each of his two seasons in Brooklyn.
In 2024, Stewart averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.
The Liberty are set to restart in 2025 before a league reset under a new collective agreement next year.
