Golden Gamble on Kate Martin

     The WNBA’s next expansion is stirring more anxiety than excitement in San Francisco, where the Golden State Valkyries are bracing for yet another round of roster roulette. With Toronto and Portland set to join the league in 2026, every existing franchise must submit a list of six “protected” players before the expansion draft. Those names will stay put. Everyone else, no matter how beloved or promising, becomes fair game. And right now, no name hovers in that uneasy gray area more than Kate Martin’s.

For the Valkyries, the decision cuts deep. They were the league’s newest team just last season, and now they find themselves on the other side of the expansion equation, facing the same risks they once exploited. Martin, a rookie guard who landed in Golden State after being left unprotected by Las Vegas, represents the kind of player expansion teams love to steal: a smart, tough competitor still on a rookie contract. Her numbers last season, 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in 34 appearances, won’t leap off a stat sheet, but her value lies in her upside and affordability. She’s young, eager, and inexpensive, three things that expansion front offices can’t resist.

Golden State’s protected list is expected to center on established names like Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, and Janelle Salaün, all of whom played major roles in defining the team’s identity this season. Cecilia Zandalasini, Carla Leite, and the teenage phenom Justė Jocytė also rank high on the list of core contributors. With those six likely to be safeguarded, Martin’s spot becomes precarious. The Valkyries front office could reshuffle priorities to squeeze her in, but that would mean leaving out a veteran or a rising European star, a move that could unsettle a roster still trying to find chemistry.

The cruel irony is that Martin embodies the exact type of player Golden State once built its foundation on: overlooked, underestimated, and full of grit. She’s the one who fights for loose balls, brings energy off the bench, and plays every minute as if it’s her last. Losing her wouldn’t cripple the Valkyries statistically, but it would chip away at their heart and depth, qualities that don’t always show up in analytics but win games in the long run.

Toronto and Portland, both eager to establish identities, could easily see Martin as a piece worth betting on. Her rookie deal is cap-friendly, and her reputation for hustle and team-first mentality fits perfectly with the kind of culture new teams try to build. Even if her role in Golden State was limited, her work ethic has earned her respect around the league. Expansion drafts have a long history of turning role players into regular starters, and Martin could be next in line for that trajectory.

If Golden State takes the gamble and leaves her unprotected, it’ll be a calculated risk. Maybe they assume her modest stats won’t attract attention. Maybe they believe her bond with the team will steer her back if unselected. But the WNBA’s current offseason climate, stacked with free agency uncertainty and ongoing CBA negotiations, makes prediction a fool’s game. One front office’s hunch could quickly become another team’s gain.

For now, Martin remains both a symbol of what the Valkyries have built and a test of how much they value potential over production. In a league that’s growing faster than ever, every player on the fringe matters. Whether Kate Martin stays or goes could say as much about the Valkyries’ philosophy as it does about her talent. Golden State has been here before, playing the odds, trusting their instincts, and hoping the hand they hold is worth keeping. This time, the gamble may decide whether the “Golden” in their name still shines just as bright.