Silver: WNBA to Get Big Raises Amid Pay Fight

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said WNBA players “are going to get a big increase” in the next collective bargaining agreement but argued compensation should be judged in absolute dollars rather than by taking the same revenue-share percentage as the NBA. Players and the WNBPA are publicly pushing for a revenue-share model closer to the NBA’s roughly 50% (WNBA players currently receive about 9–9.3%), and stars including Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier have spotlighted the demand with protests and public comments. The WNBPA’s reposting of Silver’s remarks underscored a public gulf over framing even as both sides say they want a “transformative” deal. Beyond base pay, players are negotiating guarantees such as charter flights, larger rosters, improved benefits and a softer salary cap as league revenues, TV ratings and ticket sales continue to grow. The current CBA expires Oct. 31, raising the prospect of a lockout or other work stoppage that could stall the WNBA’s momentum and imperil planned 2026 expansion events for teams in Portland and Toronto.