Cleveland Sirens | The WNBA Returns to Northeast Ohio in 2028

Franchise At A Glance

CHAMPIONSHIPS

0 (New Franchise)

As the Cleveland Rockers (1997–2003), the original iteration of the franchise never won a WNBA Championship or made a Finals appearance.

CURRENT RECORD

0-0 (.000)

FRANCHISE LEGENDS

Penny Taylor, Suzie McConnell-Serio, Merlakia Jones

Current Depth Chart

Guards

TBD (Expansion Draft)

TBD (Free Agency)

Bench: TBD • TBD

Forwards

TBD (Expansion Draft)

TBD (Free Agency)

Bench: TBD • TBD

Centers

TBD (Expansion Draft)

TBD (Free Agency)

Bench: TBD • TBD

Developmental

TBD (2028 WNBA Draft)

TBD (2028 WNBA Draft)

Roster & Cap Breakdown

Projected 2028 Salary Cap: ~$8.5M

Free Agent Target

2028 Free Agent Signing

~$1.2M

Free Agent Target

2028 Free Agent Signing

~$1.2M

Free Agent Target

2028 Free Agent Signing

~$1.2M

2028 Pick 1.05

WNBA Draft • Rookie Scale

~$467,500

2028 Picks 2.05

WNBA Draft • Round 2 Min. Rookie Salary

~$328,000

2028 Picks 3.05

WNBA Draft • Round 3 Min. Rookie Salary

~$328,000

Expansion Draft Selection 1

Unprotected Veteran (Min. Vet Salary)

~$364,200

Expansion Draft Selection 2

Unprotected Veteran (Min. Vet Salary)

~$364,200

Expansion Draft Selection 3

Unprotected Veteran (Min. Vet Salary)

~$364,200

Expansion Draft Selection 4

Unprotected Veteran (Min. Vet Salary)

~$364,200

Expansion Draft Selection 5

Unprotected Veteran (Min. Vet Salary)

~$364,200

Expansion Draft Selection 6

Unprotected Veteran (Min. Vet Salary)

~$364,200

Development Players 1 & 2

Cap Exempt

Total Projected Commitments

~$6.91M

Projected Cap Room

~$1.59M

Draft History & Analysis

2028 WNBA Expansion & Entry Draft

Grade: Projected A

Outstanding Trades

Incoming: 2028 No. 5 Overall Pick • Rounds 2 & 3 Selections • Expansion Draft Pool Rights

Outgoing: None.

Round 1

Round 1 Projected Slot

Round 2

Round 2 Selection

Round 3

Round 3 Selection

Instant Analysis: Cleveland targets foundational talent at pick No. 5 in the collegiate draft, while leveraging the December 2027 expansion draft pool for veteran stability. Front-office priority centers on two-way perimeter play and maintaining cap flexibility ahead of the February 2028 free agency period.

One-Month Check-In: Pending one month after the 2028 WNBA Draft and training camp tip-off.

End-of-Season Review: Pending 2028 inaugural regular season conclusion.

Three-Year Check-In: Target timeline: 2030 season review.

Cleveland Sirens Coverage

›The Cleveland Sirens: How the WNBA’s Newest Expansion Team is Building for 2028

›Hear the call: Welcome the Cleveland Sirens, the WNBA’s newest expansion team

›The Cleveland Sirens are honoring their past and setting sail for the future

›Cleveland’s new WNBA team explain why they don’t want to be linked to the NBA’s Cavaliers

›Houston Comets: The Sale, Relocation, and Rebirth of a WNBA Dynasty

›New WNBA Teams Joining the League

›The WNBA’s Path to 30 Teams

›Early Look: 2028 WNBA Draft

Cleveland Sirens Inaugural Season

Fan ESSENTIALS

Plan Your Trip to Northeast Ohio

Fly to The Land

Find flights to Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) for game day on the North Coast.

Stay Downtown

Find top-rated hotels near Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Hotels.com.

Watch from Home

Watch the WNBA Live on Prime Video

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