Apr 30, 2026; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Valkyries forward Marta Suarez (77) during media day at the Sephora Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2026; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Valkyries forward Marta Suarez (77) during media day at the Sephora Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
The Golden State Valkyries have waived forward Marta Suarez on May 2, three weeks after acquiring her in a draft-night trade with the Seattle Storm.
The Valkyries selected LSU star Flau'jae Johnson as the No. 8 overall pick of the draft. However, she was immediately traded for No. 16 overall pick Marta Suarez and a 2028 second-round pick.
Fast forward to May 2, and the Valkyries announced they had decided to waive Suarez already, raising questions about the rationale behind the draft-night trade.
After trading Johnson and Suarez, Valkyries GM Ohemaa Nyanin largely declined to comment on the Johnson trade when asked. But she did speak highly of their then-new acquisition, Suarez.
“Marta is fierce. She's fearless,” Nyanin said on draft night. “She has a very high basketball IQ. Her high character is off the charts. ... We felt like she would be a great fit.”
Suarez had her most productive season in her final college year with the TCU Horned Frogs. The 6'3" forward averaged 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds and earned All-Big 12 honors.
Her tenure with the Valkyries lasted only three weeks. Suarez featured in one preseason game for the Valkyries and scored 5 points in 14 minutes against Johnson and the Seattle Storm.
Meanwhile, Flau'jae has been producing well in Seattle, scoring a combined 32 points in 43 minutes across two preseason games.
While Golden State has been part of a confusing scenario, they have proved in just their first season in the WNBA how competitive they can be.
What's Next for the Golden State Valkyries and Marta Suarez?
The Valkyries exceeded preseason expectations, posting a 23-21 record in their debut season. They qualified for the playoffs as well, in front of the Chase Center home crowd.
The franchise's growth from its debut season is reflected in its current valuation. According to Sportico, the Valkyries are the league's most valuable franchise at $850 million.
This figure exceeds the New York Liberty's valuation by $250 million and surpasses last year’s valuation by $350 million.
While Suarez has been cut, the Valkyries can still bring back the Spanish international as one of their two developmental players.
As per league rules, teams can assign those two developmental players to practice with the squad and activate them for up to 12 games, similar to how NBA teams use two-way contracts.
But after the Valkyries waived Suarez on Saturday, other WNBA teams have 48 hours to claim her rookie-scale contract.
Apart from Suarez, Golden State also cut Mariella Fasoula, forward Cate Reese, and guards Ashlon Jackson, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, and Miela Sowah.
With basically the same squad as last year, the Valkyries will open their second WNBA season against Flau'jae Johnson and the Seattle Storm on May 8.
So, do you think Flau'jae Johnson will make the Valkyries regret their decision?
Written by
Joy Bassy