The clock is ticking down toward the WNBA trade deadline, as teams around the league evaluate their rosters and make midseason moves ahead of Thursday's 3 PM ET final whistle.

The No. 10 Washington Mystics made the most recent transactional splash, sending leading scorer Brittney Sykes to the No. 6 Seattle Storm on Tuesday.

In return, Washington received forward Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round draft pick — though the Mystics immediately waived Cooke as well as center Sika Koné.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Teams now have a little more than 24 hours to decide if they’re stocking up for the postseason or punting this year's potential to shore up future prospects.

Though the WNBA trade deadline has historically been less dramatic than other leagues thanks to hard salary caps and roster limitations, ramped-up expansion and the promise of a new CBA appear to be greasing the wheels this year.

While not every title contender has roster room to spare, teams in line for the lottery will likely look to clean house this week.

To that end, Washington may still be dealing: 2024 No. 6 overall draft pick Aaliyah Edwards played just seven minutes for the Mystics in their 78-64 loss to the No. 11 Chicago Sky on Tuesday, sparking rumors of another potential big trade.

As for the last-place Connecticut Sun, guard Marina Mabrey could serve as a last-minute asset after the team initially denied Mabrey's offseason trade request.

WNBA All-Star Weekend is returning to the Windy City, with the league announcing Thursday that it will hold the 2026 All-Star Game in Chicago next summer.

The game will tip off on Saturday, July 25th, inside the 20,917-seat United Center, while the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will take place the night before at the 10,380-capacity Wintrust Arena, home to the Chicago Sky.

"The WNBA is thrilled to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star back to Chicago, which will undoubtedly deliver unforgettable competition and community outreach," said commissioner Cathy Engelbert in Thursday's statement. "Together with the Chicago Sky, we look forward to celebrating the game's brightest stars, engaging WNBA fans around the world, and showcasing the energy of one of basketball's most iconic cities."

The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game will mark Chicago's second time hosting the midseason event after the 2022 edition landed in the Windy City.

"We can't wait to build on the success of the previous All-Star Game and celebrate the explosive growth of the league by showcasing the WNBA's biggest stars on a world-class stage," Chicago Sky CEO and president Adam Fox said.

While the first All-Star Game in Chicago took place at Wintrust Arena, next year's stage includes a significant venue upgrade to the United Center.

The Sky played their first-ever games at the Bulls' NBA arena this past season, taking on the Indiana Fever for two regular-season 2025 WNBA matchups.

"We're ecstatic to host the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game and build on the two sell-out Chicago Sky games played at the United Center this year," said United Center VP of booking Jerry Goldman.

The WNBA will be eager to showcase its growth since its last All-Star visit, as investment — both internal and external — remains a hot topic heading into the league's 2026 season.

USWNT and Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman has been sidelined, with the forward set to miss the rest of the 2025 NWSL season after exiting her club's 4-0 2025/26 Concacaf W Champions Cup win over Monterrey with a knee injury on Wednesday — hours after earning her first national team call-up since April.

The Athletic reported on Thursday that Rodman will be off the pitch for at least three weeks — encompassing the final NWSL regular-season matches as well as October's USWNT friendlies — though Thursday's scans showed she avoided long-term injury and could return to compete in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs.

Washington head coach Adrián González further clarified Rodman's status on Friday, confirming that the Spirit winger has a low-grade MCL sprain — a result the manager called "the best scenario."

Rodman's knock interrupts a strong run of play for the 23-year-old, who registered five goals and two assists since recovering from a lingering back injury in August.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Sitting second in the NWSL standings, the Spirit already secured home field advantage for the upcoming playoffs, but the 2024 runners-up will see a potential postseason preview against a resurgent Orlando Pride this weekend.

The reigning NWSL champions earned two wins in their last three matches, rising to No. 3 on the league table after going winless through nine straight NWSL games.

"I think home field advantage is massive," Pride head coach Seb Hines said last week. "We experienced that last year. So if we can finish as high as possible, we can play here in front of our own fans."

How to watch the Washington Spirit vs. Orlando Pride this weekend

The No. 2 Spirit will host the No. 3 Pride at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage airing on CBS.

As NWSL teams race towards November 2nd's Decision Day with 2025 playoff positioning on the line, a single result on Friday could determine multiple postseason fates.

Sitting four points outside of contention, No. 9 North Carolina will visit No. 13 Bay FC on Friday night, with a Courage loss clinching playoff berths for No. 4 Gotham, No. 5 Seattle, No. 6 San Diego, and No. 7 Portland.

A North Carolina loss would also put No. 10 Angel City and the No. 11 Houston Dash in must-win scenarios in order to remain in contention for the final playoff spot with No. 8 Racing Louisville.

Following 2023's dramatic final matchday results, the NWSL reintroduced the league's simultaneous-kickoff Decision Day format this year, but the 2025 season's slim margins plus a few scheduling idiosyncrasies could see the postseason door swing shut prematurely.

North Carolina needs at least a draw plus a Gotham win to survive elimination, while the five teams currently above the postseason cutoff line — except Gotham and Louisville, who will play each other on Sunday — only need a win to secure their destiny regardless of Friday's outcome, while Houston and ACFC drop out of play.

While supporters of each club will hope for clarity before next week's international break, fans of NWSL chaos will be rooting for a high-stakes 2025 Decision Day finale on Sunday, November 2nd.

How to watch Bay FC vs. NC Courage on Friday

The potentially decisive match between the North Carolina Courage and Bay FC will kick off at 10 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage airing on Prime.

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is hitting the links again, returning to The Annika Pro-Am to show off her golf game on the 2025 LPGA Tour following a WNBA season rife with injuries.

The annual event will take place at the Pelican Golf Club in Tampa on Wednesday, November 12th, and will be open to the public.

"I had an amazing time at The Annika last November and participating in the Pro-Am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sörenstam, two of the best in the game," Clark said in a Thursday press release.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

One of Clark's sponsors, Gainbridge, also backs the annual competition, with The Annika serving as the penultimate stop in a parity-filled, up-and-down 2025 LPGA season.

"[Clark] added such a great dynamic to our event [last year], and her passion for golf and competitiveness were fun to witness firsthand," the tournament's namesake, retired Swedish golf pro Annika Sörenstam, said of the 23-year-old basketball star. "I look forward to having her back and continuing to introduce the great game of golf to the next generation."

How to buy tickets to The Annika Pro-Am

Fans can watch the WNBA star tee off at the 2025 edition of The Annika Pro-Am in Tampa on Wednesday, November 12th.

Tickets to the event are on sale now at TheAnnika.com.