Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase channels Warriors mantra in bold claim after quiet trade deadline

SAN FRANCISCO – In the end, it was a quiet WNBA trade deadline for the Golden State Valkyries as the team made no moves despite actively exploring the trade market, a direction coach Natalie Nakase said she feels content with.

“What do you think?” Nakase said to ClutchPoints when asked about the decision the Valkyries made to stand pat at the deadline, in her media availability ahead of Golden State’s matchup with the Toronto Tempo.

I don’t know.

“You see the smile on my face?” Nakase continued, going into her typical Socratic seminar way of answering questions at the podium.

Happy?

“Yeah,” Nakase answered. “[It is] like I said before, this too, you guys were also asking me where we stand, am I happy? Yeah. But we haven’t reached our peak yet, right? We haven’t maximized where we are yet on so many levels. And my response [to accomplishing that goal] definitely has been strength-in-numbers. It’s something that we took to heart because of last year of what happened in the playoffs.”

It’s those precise feelings, Golden State’s treasured “strength-in-numbers” philosophy, that won out as the franchise debated whether or not to upend their continuity and chemistry in the days leading up to the deadline.

Thus, despite the Valkyries having made exploratory calls for the guard to the Los Angeles Sparks, the five-time All-Star ended up with the Phoenix Mercury as the Los Angeles Sparks dealt her for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-rounder, as Golden State proved unwilling to part with their depth, young assets, and future draft capital.

Ultimately, in standing pat and not making a big splash, the Valkyries adhered to their ethos of connectivity, togetherness, and culture, which Nakase reaffirmed post-trade deadline

“I’ve learned through after playing and coaching, especially in the NBA, that when you have a great culture and great chemistry, you just don’t mess with it,” Nakase said, echoing sentiments she vocalized right before the trade deadline.

“It’s something that’s very rare in sports. I’m sure you guys have felt that with teams that you’ve seen win and have gone on to become dynasties, right? There’s something special about it. There’s a selflessness, there’s a care factor, there’s a team before self mentality. And I think right now, where we’re at, we have that right now.”

Is this the right direction for the Valkyries?

With the Valkyries at 20-9 on the season, it’s hard to argue with Nakase’s reasoning. They boast the league’s best defense, the league’s highest scoring bench, and are tied for the second-best record in the league. And Gabby Williams even made history as the franchise’s first All-Star starter. All in year two of their existence.

The only question is, will there be regret at the end of the season if the Valkyries do not accomplish their goals?

The thought process behind trading for Plum was to improve their offense, which has proved to be their Achilles’ heel at times this season. They rank seventh in offensive rating (109.2) and boast the worst field goal percentage (42.1%) in the league. If their offense leaves them out to dry in the playoffs and proves to be their downfall, there will be fingers pointing at how they did not address that weakness at the deadline, even if they did explore Plum and the market.

But that is a question that can only be answered once the season is over. For now, Golden State is trusting in the direction they have chosen to take, with Nakase expressing her faith in general manager Ohemaa Nyanin.

“As we continue to build in the right direction,” Nakase said. “Ohemaa [Nyanin] has done an elite job of the moves and the decisions she made in the off-season and what she was able to construct. And so as we work tandem. She’s my partner in crime. We continue to build, but we continue to push each other to make sure we’re going to be elite at all levels.”

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