Yesterday, I wrote a list of things I would like to see the Washington Wizards accomplish in 2026. Today, I will do the same thing, but for the Washington Mystics.
Here are some of the things I would like to see the team do:
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Sign a marquee free agent — This is one thing that I think the current front office will not do and that doesn’t seem to be their intent either. There is also precedent for the Mystics doing this because they started the 2025 season with the holdovers from 2024, though Ariel Atkins was traded. Because of the high amount of player movement that will likely happen because of an anticipated Collective Bargaining Agreement, some player on every team will see a big payday with a salary that will probably at least $1 million. The question is just who the Mystics’ marquee free agent will be.
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Sonia Citron or Kiki Iriafen make an All-WNBA team — If the Mystics are a playoff team in 2026, it’s likely that Citron or Iriafen will be among the league’s biggest producers. Hell, they were last season. That said, Citron and Iriafen also were part of a team that lost 10 games in a row last year after the team surprised others early on.
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Shakira Austin makes the All-Star team — Austin was part of the 2018 FIBA World Cup team that won the Gold Medal and then won another Gold Medal with Team USA in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s AmeriCup earlier this fall. She still hasn’t made an All-Star team of her own yet. If Washington makes the playoffs in 2026, she would likely be part of that. Austin is a restricted free agent in 2026 and would almost definitely be protected from the upcoming expansion draft. On top of that, even if she signs an offer sheet, Washington would probably match it.
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The Mystics are at least a middle of the pack team led by youth from start to finish — The 2025 Mystics team should have made the playoffs and used it as a selling point for 2026. Instead, when every WNBA team is rebuilding, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them try to replicate the Wizards’ ongoing rebuild. In a league that remains at 12 teams for eternity? That is not a bad path. But in a league that will expand to 18 teams by 2030? That’s a recipe to make the Mystics a “have not” franchise like they were for most of their history before the Mike Thibault years.
What accomplishments would you like to see the Mystics make in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
