A lot of questions were being raised about the Valkyries' plan because of the way they handled Flau'Jae Johnson and Marta Suarez. But the franchise's GM, Ohemaa Nyanin, recently came clear on the mindset that led to those decisions.

Three weeks after selecting Flau’jae Johnson as the No. 8 draft pick, the Golden State Valkyries quietly traded her rights to the Seattle Storm for Marta Suarez and a future second-round pick. But when Marta Suarez was later waived too, it raised even more questions about the Golden State Valkyries’ plan.

Those questions were finally addressed yesterday as an X update displayed GM saying, “The decision-making around the draft had a lot to do with cap flexibility.” Nyanin said during Tuesday’s media day.

She also added, “My job is to make sure we maintain an understanding of what's happening today and then what could happen in the future. So the flexibility that is needed to really be able to withstand whatever could happen in the future is something I hold near and dear to me.”

Under the new CBA, Johnson was expected to make $309,622 in her rookie season, totaling about $1.38 million across four years. By trading her rights for Marta Suarez, the Valkyries were able to save roughly $40,000 since Suarez’s contract number was lower.

Ultimately, after the draft, Golden State had nearly $750,000 in available cap space. But most of that money eventually went toward re-signing Tiffany Hayes, as the Valkyries' goal was to keep as many returning players as possible.

"We lost two elite athletes in Maria Conde and Carla Leite ... and at that time I only had one athlete on our cap and the idea was to make sure that we were able to sign as many returners as possible," the GM further clarified.

However, the confusion around Golden State’s draft-night strategy only grew stronger once Marta Suarez’s situation took an unexpected turn of its own.

Why Did the Golden State Valkyries Waive Marta Suarez So Quickly?

Alongside Flau’jae Johnson, former California Golden Bears star Marta Suarez also arrived in Golden State with plenty of intrigue, only for her time with the Golden State Valkyries to end almost as quickly as it began.

Explaining the move, Valkyries GM Ohemaa Nyanin said, “Why we waived a specific athlete is part of understanding the new CBA.”

“There are a lot of things that we need to take into consideration when it comes to the status of an athlete, when it comes to years of experience, etc," she added.

Nyanin also hinted that more roster-changing decisions could be coming soon. “There’s more to come. There’s a lot more to think through in the next 48 hours,” she said.

The move came less than a week before Golden State’s regular-season opener, though it does not necessarily mean Suarez’s time with the Valkyries is over.

If Suarez clears waivers, the Valkyries could bring her back using one of the team’s two developmental roster spots. Developmental players are allowed to practice with the team and appear in up to 12 games during the season.

Meanwhile, the 2026 WNBA season tips off on May 8 with the Seattle Storm facing the Golden State Valkyries. That means Flau’jae Johnson could get an early shot at facing her former franchise, with plenty of attention already surrounding the matchup.

That said, did the Golden State Valkyries make the right call by trading Flau’jae Johnson for long-term flexibility? What do you think?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Souvik Roy