WNBA deal keeps Portland Fire debut on track

The latest: WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Terri Carmichael Jackson, executive director of the players' union, told reporters a verbal agreement had been reached just after midnight local time, per ESPN.

• Neither side released exact details of the agreement, which has yet to be ratified.
• But training camp, scheduled for April 19, and the start of the season, with the Fire opening May 9 at the Moda Center, are expected to take place on time.

What they're saying: Jackson said the agreement came down to two words: "player empowerment," per ESPN.

• "They never forgot it, and they have taken it, like they always do, to the next level."
• Engelbert hailed the agreement as a "shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.
• "The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league," she said.

Yes, but: The Fire's tip off is just 52 days away.

• Between now and then, the team must hold an expansion draft to select players from existing teams, as well as a regular draft and free agency to build out their rosters.
• By contrast, the league's last expansion team, San Francisco's Golden State Valkyries, held their expansion draft Dec. 6, 2024, more than five months ahead of their first game.

The bottom line: An agreement that avoids a delay to the season should be seen as a victory for both sides, as the league is surging in popularity and players could get a bigger share of the WNBA's rising revenue.

• The deal is "going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more," said players' union vice president Brianna Stewart.
• "Just excited that we can tell our fans that we're going to be back."