Natasha Cloud remains one of the top unsigned players left in WNBA free agency — and New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb made that much clear this week.
With Cloud still unsigned as training camps open, Kolb publicly praised the veteran guard for her contributions on and off the court.
“She’s a phenomenal basketball player,” Kolb said at his annual preseason news conference. “She belongs in the WNBA.”
The comments came as questions surround Cloud's free agency, particularly after New York's pursuit of Satou Sabally effectively closed the door on a Liberty return. Reports indicated Cloud's return would likely have required a reduced role and pay cut, while the Liberty prioritized roster flexibility elsewhere.
Still, Kolb clarified that the decision wasn't a reflection of Cloud's value of a player or person.
“I just want to make that clear: What really happened here, for us, really wasn’t about fit,” Kolb said. “It’s about our targets in free agency and the condensed nature of free agency, how quickly things really move.”
The 10-year WNBA veteran averaged 10.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 2025 while helping New York get to a franchise-best 9-0 start.
“Tash is amazing. Look at what she did, she’s a New York legend in one year here because of who she is off the floor, but also on it,” Kolb added.
Cloud has built a reputation as an elite defender, organizer, and veteran leader — qualities that carry a lot of value for both title contenders and developing teams.
While there is no resolution on where she lands next, one thing seems to be clear: New York and Kolb still believe Cloud belongs on a roster.
The Liberty have officially parted ways with head coach Sandy Brondello, with the franchise announcing that it will not renew her contract for the 2026 season on Tuesday — less than one year after the manager led New York to a first-ever WNBA title.
The move follows the No. 5-seed Liberty's first-round exit from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, with the reigning champs falling to the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury in a winner-take-all Game 3 last Friday.
"Sandy finishes her tenure in New York as the winningest coach in franchise history, and she took us to never-before-seen heights as the first head coach to lead the Liberty to a championship," New York GM Jonathan Kolb said in a franchise statement on Tuesday. "We wish Sandy the very best in her next chapter."
The firing of Brondello sent shockwaves across the WNBA, with many questioning the unprecedented move — particularly considering that New York Liberty dealt with numerous high-profile injuries throughout the 2025 season.
"I didn't love it for Sandy, I'm gonna have to be honest," Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon told reporters following the news about Brondello. "She just won a championship, she has wins in other places, and I know her to be a quality coach and a quality person."
"I am absolutely thrilled if I am Seattle, Toronto, and Portland that I was just gifted a championship-level coach," echoed Minnesota Lynx manager Cheryl Reeve. "I think a lot of Sandy, personally and professionally."
With Brondello's dismissal, the WNBA has only three head coaches with more than one season under their belt: Hammon, Reeve, and the second-year Mercury boss Nate Tibbetts.