If the fans weren’t over what the Golden State Valkyries did 5 days ago, this one is going to sting a little more. When the noise around the franchise’s confusing roster decisions, where they waived 6 players, started to cool down, the Valkyries found themselves right back at the center of another conversation that has left everyone baffled. Because now they have moved on from one of their most beloved players, too.
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Kate Martin is officially off the Golden State roster.
The franchise officially waived Martin as part of its latest roster update ahead of the 2026 WNBA season, and this move has ended a short yet promising stint in Golden State. But considering everything this team has done over the past few weeks, this time, fans are struggling to understand the bigger picture.
Martin first entered the WNBA in 2024 after being selected by the Las Vegas Aces in the second round of the draft. However, playing behind one of the deepest rosters in the league meant opportunities were limited, but she still managed to contribute wherever she could and averaged 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 11.5 minutes per game. Then, before she could level up her game in the second season, came a fresh start.
The Valkyries selected Kate Martin from the Aces during the 2025 WNBA Expansion Draft, giving her the chance to play a much larger role. And to her credit, she made the most of it. During the last season, she averaged 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while seeing nearly 17 minutes per game. That jump in production was a sign that she could be a player this franchise could build around, so she quickly became a fan favorite in Golden State. Which is exactly why this move feels surprising.
But she isn’t the only player the Valkyries have moved on from recently. In fact, this latest decision comes shortly after the franchise waived Marta Suárez, Ashlon Jackson, Mariella Fasoula, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Miela Sowah, and Cate Reese. The Suárez decision especially raised eyebrows, considering Golden State traded down from the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft by passing on Flau’jae Johnson to acquire the Spanish forward and a future second-round pick.
So with Martin joining that growing list of departures, the frustration among fans has only gotten louder. Because the Valkyries’ front office is making aggressive decisions without giving people a clear idea of what the long-term vision actually is.
Kate Martin Move Leaves Fans Confused
As the announcement went viral, fans took to social media to share their thoughts.
“She should join Iowa coaching staff!” one fan stated. While another added, “This one hurts, I can’t lie.”
During her college days, Martin earned the nickname “The Glue” because of the way she held the Iowa Hawkeyes together on and off the floor. She even managed to keep things smooth for stars like Caitlin Clark and the rest of the roster.
She was often viewed as an extension of the coaching staff because of her leadership, defensive communication, and high basketball IQ. With that, add in the fact that Iowa head coach Jan Jensen is also her aunt by marriage, so many fans believe she could eventually become a perfect mentor and recruiter for the next generation of Hawkeyes. But her WNBA journey is far from over. Which has left many asking: why waive her?
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While the Valkyries have not released an official explanation, there are a few reasons that may have contributed to the decision. For starters, the Valkyries’ backcourt has quietly become crowded heading into the upcoming season. With Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes, and Kaila Charles all expected to maintain major roles, and international additions like Juste Jocyte and Australian guard Miela Sowah, Kate Martin became expendable.
Her recent quad strain only complicated things further. Martin has been reportedly sidelined from competitive basketball activities since April 28 because of the injury, and with the regular season approaching quickly, Golden State may not have wanted to wait through a recovery process while finalizing the roster.
Still, that doesn’t make it okay for the fans.
“Y’all have completely f**ked up all your good will with people, I have no idea what this team is doing,” one fan wrote. While another saw this as an opportunity for the Indiana Fever to secure her and added, “If this isn’t a miracle coming to the Fever…… let’s get Kate Martin!”
Let’s be honest – the Fever speculation isn’t completely unrealistic. If Martin clears waivers, Indiana could pursue her through a developmental contract, especially since the team reportedly has one developmental roster spot open. But what’s more important is that the fit already makes sense on paper.
A move to Indiana would reunite Kate Martin with Caitlin Clark after the two spent four seasons together at Iowa and helped lead the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship appearances. Their chemistry is already proven, and her ability to do the little things like defend, communicate, and stabilize rotations could make her a valuable depth piece for a Fever team trying to contend immediately.
That said, Indiana recently waived three of their players to finalize the 12-player roster. So even if the fit makes sense emotionally and stylistically, bringing Martin in would still require another roster decision from the Fever front office.
But that doesn’t change the fact that Golden State fans lost their favourite player. So one fan summed up the feeling around this latest update perfectly and wrote, “Y’all just lost a fan.”
Whether this move ends up making sense or not, the Valkyries have now created a situation where their every roster decision is being questioned. And until the franchise starts showing a clearer direction, the noise around these moves is not going away anytime soon.
