The WNBA may have an additional team full of roster spots this season, but it doesn’t mean surprising cuts aren’t still happening. Former Arizona star Aari McDonald became one of the latest when the Los Angeles Sparks cut her on Wednesday.
Thank you, Aari, for all your contributions to the Sparks! pic.twitter.com/7bV4YFlHwL
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) May 15, 2025
McDonald was a restricted free agent this year. The Sparks gave her a qualifying offer worth $93,767, but she did not sign it by the Mar. 7 deadline. She later signed a training camp contract worth $78,831 with the organization, but she went into camp competing with a lot of guards.
Another thing working against McDonald was the change in leadership in Los Angeles. The organization parted ways with head coach Curt Miller after last season. It brought in former Utah Utes head coach Lynne Roberts. It seemed like an unlikely match for McDonald, a defensive-oriented guard who didn’t shoot the 3 extremely efficiently in college or the pros. Roberts was known for college teams that played little defense but shot the 3 very well.
The change in coach would have had McDonald playing under her sixth head coach in four years. She had three in her first year with the Atlanta Dream and was going to be on her second in two years with the Sparks.
McDonald was drafted third by the Dream in 2021 after leading the Arizona Wildcats to their first national title game in program history. She spent her first three years with the organization before being traded to the Sparks before last season.
McDonald played 26 games for Los Angeles, missing some of last season due to an injury. She averaged 8.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.9 steals in 21.8 minutes per game in 2024.
She has spent the past two offseasons playing overseas. She had a breakout year in the Australian WNBL the year before last and followed it up with another strong outing in China with the Beijing Great Wall this year. She averaged 15.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.0 steals in 27.3 minutes per game in 34 games for Beijing.
She played well in the Sparks’ only preseason game this year. She scored 12 points in just over 16 minutes of play against the Golden State Valkries on May 6. She also had two assists and two steals.
McDonald could still sign with another team as a free agent. That could happen before the season or at some point after it starts.
McDonald was not the only surprise cut on Wednesday. One of the players she faced in the 2021 national title game and played alongside in Atlanta was also cut. Former Stanford star Haley Jones was released by the Dream, as well.
McDonald’s release leaves just one former Wildcat in camp. Esmery Martinez joined the New York Liberty just before the beginning of camp. She is one of 15 listed on the Liberty’s roster, meaning they still have to cut three players to get to the 12-player roster limit. Many teams are keeping just 11 this season due to the salary cap.
Martinez may benefit from the misfortune of another player. Liberty guard/forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will not be with the team this season due to an injury, but Martinez still needs to beat out several experienced players to make the roster of the defending champions.
Helena Pueyo initially signed a training camp contract with the Phoenix Mercury but opted not to join the team. Her team in Spain made it to the finals of their league, so she would not have been able to join the Mercury until days before final cuts were made, at the earliest.