WNBA roster deadline coming Tuesday

NEW YORK — New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb knew that he and first-year coach Walt Hopkins would have to make some tough decisions on the team’s roster this year.

He just didn’t think they’d have to do it so quickly and without seeing players compete in training camp.

The WNBA and the players’ union decided teams would have to get their rosters under the salary cap by Tuesday so players could start getting paid June 1.

It’s left many teams with tough decisions on who they will cut and little time to figure it out.

“It is the worst part of this job,” Kolb said in a phone interview. “These are dreams that are suddenly altered, and you’re a large part of that. These are human beings, not just basketball players.”

Connecticut Sun coach and general manager Curt Miller had set up his training camp roster so a few position battles would determine the final spots on the team. Now he’ll have to make choices a different way.

“Ultimately we have to decide, because we can’t do it all together, what skill-set strength of theirs makes most sense to round out our roster,” Miller said.

Teams usually have to cut their rosters to get under the salary cap before the regular season begins, which would have been May 14.

The WNBA postponed the start of the season in early April because of the coronavirus pandemic and is still focusing on a handful of scenarios that would allow the league to play this year.