Portland Fire's first WNBA season set to begin May 9

State of play: The Portland Fire are scheduled to get their season underway with a home opener against the Chicago Sky May 9 at 6pm.

• Most weekday games will tip at 7pm, Saturday games at 5:30pm and Sunday games at 4pm, unless otherwise noted.
• The New York Liberty — and former Ducks superstar Sabrina Ionescu — will visit Rip City for two of the Fire's first three games.

Yes, but: The team's roster is currently empty as an expansion draft, where the team selects players from existing WNBA teams, has been pushed back pending a contract agreement.

• Free agency was suspended earlier this month after the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement expired.
• And that further complicates expansion drafts for new teams — like the Fire and the Toronto Tempo — since how free agency is defined in the contract will impact which players the new franchises can select.

Coming off a season of spiking revenue, the biggest sticking point between the players and the league remains how that money should be divvied up.

What they're saying: "As the league experiences a pivotal time of unprecedented popularity and growth, we recognize the importance of building upon that momentum," the league said in a Jan. 9 statement, per OPB.

What we're watching: An expansion draft is likely to come soon after the two sides agree on a contract.

• But a delayed start to the season can't be ruled out until they do.