The New York Liberty waived forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, the team announced Thursday.
According to a source familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the move, Laney-Hamilton signed a one-year, $400,000 veterans-protected deal with no buyout.
Therefore, this move does not free up cap space unless she is waived. But that gives the Liberty an extra roster spot, which they took advantage of to sign Liberty guard Marine Fauthoux to a multi-year contract accordingly on Thursday. The New York Post first reported the Liberty’s plans to sign Fauthoux.
The second longest-tenured Liberty player behind guard Sabrina Ionescu, Laney-Hamilton signed with the Liberty as a free agent in 2021 after being named the 2020 WNBA Player of the Year. The forward has been instrumental in establishing the franchise as a contender, playing a key role in the Liberty’s championship run in 2024. She missed all of last season while recovering from surgery to repair the meniscus in her left knee.
When Laney-Hamilton returned to action for the Liberty this season, her role quickly diminished. She was a healthy scratch for eight straight games before sitting out. Liberty will have to pay the full value of her contract unless she is asked to waive it.
In a statement, Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb thanked Laney-Hamilton for her contributions to the franchise.
“We are incredibly grateful for her professionalism, leadership and dedication that she brought to New York Liberty every day,” the statement said.
Laney-Hamilton’s name was brought up in trade talks early in the season, but Kolb’s asking price ended up being too high. Her diminished role reduced her trade value, and she was not moved at the deadline. A team must have a full $400,000 in cap space to claim her off waivers. If Laney-Hamilton clears waivers, she becomes a free agent and can negotiate contract terms.
Fauthoux played her 11th game for the Liberty in Wednesday night’s win over the Seattle Storm. Developmental players are only eligible to play in 12 regular season games and cannot appear in the postseason.
“She’s been important to this team,” Liberty coach Chris DeMarco said of Fauthoux. “She gives us a different look. We really like her and we’re playing well right now, so we’re going to keep going at her.”
