Minnesota Lynx Make Trade on Eve of 2025 WNBA Draft

The draft day eve trade sends Minnesota’s 2025 first round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for an additional first round pick in the 2026 draft.

For the second year in a row, the Minnesota Lynx have made a trade on the eve of the WNBA Draft — with the same team as well.

On Sunday, the Lynx announced they traded away the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft to the Chicago Sky in exchange for a 2025 first-round draft pick. The deal extinguishes Minnesota’s right to swap its own 2026 first-round draft pick.

A season ago, on the eve of the 2024 WNBA Draft, Minnesota completed a trade with Chicago that swapped the No. 7 and No. 8 picks in the draft, selections that resulted in Angel Reese landing in Chicago and Alissa Pili landing in Minnesota. In that trade, the two teams agreed to swap 2026 first-round draft picks.

Now, the Lynx will receive the Sky’s first-round pick in 2026 outright without giving up their own pick. This gives Minnesota two first-round picks in the 2026 draft, one that is anticipated to be deeper than the 2025 draft.

As a result of the trade before Monday’s draft, Chicago will now hold picks 10 and 11 in the first round, while Minnesota will still hold three selections across the three rounds: No. 15 (third pick, second round), No. 24 (12th pick, second round) and No. 37 (12th pick, third round).

This move by the Lynx is an understandable one for a few reasons. One is that the 2026 draft class is anticipated to be a deep class, and there is a chance the pick from Chicago could be in the first half of the first round. Another reason is the current layout of Minnesota’s roster, one that doesn’t have a big need for a rookie to step in and fill. If Minnesota would have held onto the No. 11 pick, the player selected would have a hard time cracking time into the starting lineup.

Regardless, this deal gives Minnesota more ammo in a 2026 draft class that should be full of talent, all while still having three selections in the 2025 draft. And with the unknown of what the layout of the league might look like once the new CBA is agreed upon this next offseason, having flexibility like this will be valuable for teams to possess.

The 2025 WNBA Draft will take place in New York on Monday with coverage beginning at 6:30 PM CT on ESPN. Come back to Canis Hoopus after the draft to find a full recap of what Minnesota selects.

Draft Order

First Round:

1. Dallas Wings
2. Seattle Storm
3. Washington Mystics
4. Washington Mystics
5. Golden State Valkyries
6. Washington Mystics
7. Connecticut Sun
8. Connecticut Sun
9. Los Angeles Sparks
10. Chicago Sky
11. Chicago Sky
12. Dallas Wings

Las Vegas Aces forfeit 2025 first-round pick

Second Round:

1. Las Vegas Aces
2. Dallas Wings
3. Minnesota Lynx
4. Chicago Sky
5. Golden State Valkyries
6. Atlanta Dream
7. Indiana Fever
8. Indiana Fever
9. Los Angeles Sparks
10. Chicago Sky
11. Washington Mystics
12. Minnesota Lynx
13. Connecticut Sun

Third Round:

1. Seattle Storm
2. Dallas Wings
3. Los Angeles Sparks
4. Seattle Storm
5. Golden State Valkyries
6. Dallas Wings
7. Washington Mystics
8. Indiana Fever
9. Seattle Storm
10. Las Vegas Aces
11. Atlanta Dream
12. Minnesota Lynx
13. New York Liberty