Getting waived in the WNBA means that a team has released a player from their roster and ended their contractual obligation to that player, subject to certain conditions
. When a player is waived, they are placed on the "waiver wire" for a set period, usually about 48 hours, during which other teams in the league have the opportunity to claim the player’s existing contract
. If one or more teams put in a claim, the player is awarded to the team with the highest waiver priority, which is typically determined by the team’s record (teams with worse records get priority)
. The claiming team then assumes the player’s current contract, including salary and salary cap implications
. If no team claims the player during the waiver period, the player "clears waivers" and becomes an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team. At that point, the original team is no longer obligated to the player’s contract unless it was guaranteed
. Players on guaranteed contracts generally still receive their full salary even if waived, while those on non-guaranteed contracts do not unless claimed by another team
. In summary:
- Waived = released from team roster and contract put on waiver wire.
- Other teams have ~48 hours to claim the player’s contract.
- If claimed, new team assumes contract and salary cap hit.
- If unclaimed, player becomes a free agent; original team may still owe guaranteed salary.
- Waivers promote competitive balance by giving lower-ranked teams first chance to claim players.
This process is a way for teams to manage their rosters and contracts while maintaining fairness in player distribution across the league
