Winsidr Show - WNBA Monday with Vengeance

July 2, 2025·36 min·2 clips

Ariya argues the WNBA's decision to award all three expansion franchises exclusively to NBA ownership groups is 'super problematic' and historically repeats a pattern of using the W as a stepping stone.

1. The Winsidr WNBA Show, co-hosted by Ariya Schwartz and Rachel Galligan, covers a week of WNBA news dominated by trades, expansion franchise announcements, and roster cuts. 2. Ariya Schwartz and Rachel Galligan are the co-hosts; Rachel has just returned to the US from Singapore after covering a Rising Star Invitational. 3. The episode's core function is rapid-fire analysis of five simultaneous WNBA storylines: the Alyssa Smith trade, three expansion franchise awards, the Aaliyah Edwards shopping reports, the Golden State/Van Loo situation, and Commissioner's Cup MVP odds. 4. The Alyssa Smith trade sends her from the Dallas Wings to the Las Vegas Aces for a 2027 first-round pick; Ariya calls it a win-win-win, noting Smith's points were cut in half in Dallas and she needs a larger role to pair with A'ja Wilson. 5. Las Vegas has no first-round draft pick until 2028, their last picks in 2022 were Maya Hollingshed and Kirsten Bell, and Ariya frames the trade as 'extremely desperate' acquisition behavior driven by that draft-capital void. 6. The WNBA announced three expansion franchises: Cleveland launching in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030, all tied to NBA ownership groups, raising the league from 12 to 18 teams. 7. Tennessee's ownership group bid, which included Peyton Manning and Candace Parker with a full team name ('the Summit') and logo, was rejected; ownership group member Bill Haslam publicly stated he 'understands and accepts the WNBA's decision awarding franchises to NBA ownership groups.' 8. Ariya argues this reveals a structural problem: NBA ownership has historically treated the WNBA as a stepping stone or demotion track, lied about league revenues, and the continued expansion toward NBA majority ownership deepens that dependency. 9. Denver was denied a franchise despite a private ownership group pledging to build a facility, which Ariya attributes to Kroenke Sports and the Denver Nuggets not being involved in the bid. 10. Rachel notes Toronto is progressing with a logo, name, and front-office staff in place, while Portland already lost its president after two months and feels 'very off kilter' and 'behind the eight ball.' 11. Washington Mystics are reportedly shopping Aaliyah Edwards, the top pick from the previous draft and a finalist in Unrivaled's inaugural tournament; head coach Sidney Johnson publicly stated he is 'unaware' of the reports, which both hosts find 'absurd.' 12. Golden State Valkyries cut Julie Van Loo apparently without warning her before she landed in the US after Belgium won a championship; Belgian national team coach Mike T said LA was 'less of a struggle' than Golden State in international player logistics. 13. Emma Meesseman posted on social media signaling she will not sign with Golden State; Ariya and Rachel identify Minnesota, New York, and Phoenix as front-runners for Meesseman. 14. Ariya argues adding Meesseman to Minnesota would address their offensive firepower gap left by Alanna Smith's reduced role and a potential season-ending ankle injury for Carly, putting them 'over the top.' 15. The Indiana Fever continue to struggle with consistency: Caitlin Clark has been in and out of the lineup, DeWanna Bonner was waived, and the head coach was also absent, meaning the Fever have yet to appear at full strength. 16. Las Vegas is also believed to be pursuing DeWanna Bonner, and Ariya frames Meesseman as the preferred target for both Phoenix and Vegas over Bonner if she is available. 17. The episode runs as a conversational co-host panel with a lively, opinionated tone — Ariya frequently presents a strong editorial take and Rachel offers measured pushback or additional context. 18. The style is fast-paced sports radio, heavy on insider roster knowledge and WNBA transaction mechanics, with occasional humor about betting odds and currency amounts. 19. Dedicated WNBA followers tracking mid-season trades, expansion news, and international player movement will get the most value from this episode. 20. Casual sports fans or listeners unfamiliar with WNBA rosters, salary structures, and international competition calendars will find the pace and roster-depth references difficult to follow.

As heard by us

A timely, conversational WNBA roundup centered on the Alyssa Smith trade and the league's latest news cycle.

Winsidr Show opens on a crowded WNBA news stretch, with Ariya Schwartz and Rachel Galligan working through the All-Star pool, the Commissioner's Cup, and the steady hum around expansion.

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Why you'd press play

If you want the week's WNBA chaos sorted before the next buzzer, press play now.

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