WNBA Expansion Draft Grades 2026: Breaking Down Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo Picks and WNBA Mock Draft Fits

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WNBA Expansion Draft Grades 2026: Breaking Down Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo Picks and WNBA Mock Draft Fits originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The WNBA expansion draft gave both teams a real identity fast. Portland came away looking long, versatile and pretty guard-heavy. Toronto looks a little cleaner on paper right now, with more ready-made shooting and a more obvious day-one framework.

Here's how we graded each team's expansion draft.

MORE:WNBA Mock Draft 2026: Azzi Fudd Reunites with Paige Bueckers; Who Will Sun Pick?

Portland Fire expansion draft grade: B+​

Portland’s haul was Bridget Carleton, Carla Leite, Luisa Geiselsoder, Emily Engstler, Maya Caldwell, Chloe Bibby, Haley Jones, Nyadiew Puoch, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sug Sutton and Nika Muhl.

• Bridget Carleton — 44 GP | 6.5 PPG | 3.6 RPG | 2.0 APG | 40.2 FG% | 37.3 3PT%.
• Carla Leite — 37 GP | 7.2 PPG | 1.3 RPG | 2.0 APG | 38.7 FG% | 17.3 3PT%.
• Luisa Geiselsoder — 28 GP | 6.9 PPG | 4.8 RPG | 1.6 APG | 42.5 FG% | 33.0 3PT%.
• Emily Engstler — 40 GP | 3.7 PPG | 3.3 RPG | 1.5 APG | 39.6 FG% | 25.4 3PT%.
• Maya Caldwell — 41 GP | 5.4 PPG | 3.1 RPG | 1.8 APG | 42.6 FG% | 35.5 3PT%.
• Chloe Bibby — 14 GP | 4.8 PPG | 1.8 RPG | 0.5 APG | 38.2 FG% | 40.5 3PT%.
• Haley Jones — 28 GP | 7.3 PPG | 3.5 RPG | 2.3 APG | 45.2 FG% | 30.8 3PT%.
• Nyadiew Puoch — N/A
• Sarah Ashlee Barker — 34 GP | 3.1 PPG | 1.9 RPG | 0.9 APG | 33.7 FG% | 29.5 3PT%.
• Sug Sutton — 43 GP | 7.4 PPG | 1.8 RPG | 3.9 APG | 42.2 FG% | 35.3 3PT%.
• Nika Muhl — N/A

*all stats from 2025 WNBA season

Portland loaded up on connectors. Carleton is the steadiest pro, Leite and Sutton can help organize offense, Jones still has upside, and Engstler can give them defense up front. I like the depth and the versatility, but there still is not an obvious No. 1 bucket-getter here, which is why this lands at a B+.

Of course, that can still come in the WNBA Draft — more on that below.

Toronto Tempo expansion draft grade: A-​

Toronto’s expansion group was Julie Allemand, Nyara Sabally, Marina Mabrey, Aaliyah Nye, Lexi Held, Maria Conde, Maria Kliundikova, Adja Kane, Nikolina Milić, Kitija Laksa and Kristy Wallace.

• Julie Allemand — 34 GP | 5.4 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 5.0 APG | 44.0 FG% | 27.7 3PT%.
• Nyara Sabally — 17 GP | 5.4 PPG | 4.5 RPG | 0.8 APG | 48.7 FG% | 14.3 3PT%.
• Marina Mabrey — 35 GP | 14.4 PPG | 4.2 RPG | 4.0 APG | 36.7 FG% | 27.0 3PT%.
• Aaliyah Nye — 44 GP | 3.8 PPG | 1.5 RPG | 0.5 APG | 34.5 FG% | 31.4 3PT%.
• Lexi Held — 32 GP | 5.3 PPG | 1.1 RPG | 1.1 APG | 37.8 FG% | 30.8 3PT%
• Maria Conde — N/A
• Maria Kliundikova — 34 GP | 4.4 PPG | 3.0 RPG | 0.6 APG | 50.0 FG% | 32.0 3PT%.
• Adja Kane — N/A
• Nikolina Milić — N/A
• Kitija Laksa — 33 GP | 5.9 PPG | 1.2 RPG | 0.6 APG | 36.7 FG% | 31.7 3PT%.
• Kristy Wallace — N/A

*all stats from 2025 WNBA season

Toronto’s roster just feels a little cleaner right now. Allemand gives the Tempo a real table-setter, Mabrey is the biggest shot-maker in either expansion class, and Laksa, Nye and Held give them real spacing. Sabally and Kliundikova also give Toronto some needed size, so the overall shape makes more sense already. That is why I’d give the Tempo the stronger mark at A-.

Who each team could target next in the 2026 WNBA Draft​

Toronto chose the No. 6 pick in the college draft, leaving Portland at No. 7. Current mocks most commonly connect Lauren Betts to Toronto but we had Kiki Rice and Nell Angloma to Portland — we went for Gianna Kneepkens, while other recent boards have floated names like Flau’jae Johnson, Raven Johnson and Janiah Barker in that range.

Based on the rosters they just built, Toronto still looks like the easier read. The Tempo already have plenty of guards and wings, so Betts feels like the cleanest fit if she gets there. Portland already has a bunch of secondary creation, so the Fire look more like a team that should chase upside on the wing or in the frontcourt, which keeps Angloma as the best guess. If those names are gone, Flau’jae Johnson might make sense as Toronto’s pivot and Iyana Martin feels like a logical alternate swing for Portland.

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