The Golden State Valkyries' Baffling Flau'jae Johnson Trade Just Got Worse

The Golden State Valkyries selected Flau’jae Johnson, a two-time All-American at LSU, with the eighth overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft on April 13.

Johnson’s tenure with the Valkyries lasted about an hour before Golden State surprisingly traded her to the Seattle Storm in exchange for the draft rights to Marta Suarez, who went 16th overall.

Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin struggled to explain moving Johnson the night it happened.

The trade just got even more difficult to explain: The Valkyries announced Suarez as one of six players waived by the team on Saturday.

“The Valkyries could keep Suarez on their roster if she clears waivers,” Ron Kroichick wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle. “WNBA teams are allowed to sign two players to ‘developmental spots’ this season, in addition to 12 players on the standard roster. Those two developmental players can practice with the team and be activated for up to 12 games, akin to players on two-way contracts in the NBA.”

Let’s say Suarez rejoins the Valkyries in some capacity. The Valkyries will have egg on their face for the foreseeable future - and maybe forever, if Johnson becomes the next face of the franchise in Seattle.

Johnson has only been in Seattle for two weeks, and she’s already a star in the eyes of Storm fans. A huge crowd greeted her at the airport in Seattle. That was to be expected, given that Johnson endeared herself at LSU to the point that Baton Rouge honored her with a key to the city.

Magnetic personality aside, Johnson has fit right in with the Storm on the floor. She led the team in scoring in both of their preseason games. Most recently, she bucketed 20 points against Portland last Wednesday.

The final judgment on the Johnson draft-day trade won’t come for years, but the early returns are a full-blown disaster for the Valkyries. Johnson is a player to build around, which is meaningful for the rebuilding Storm. But it could have been a launching pad for a Golden State franchise in its second season of play.

Poetically, the Valkyries will open their 2026 regular season in Seattle against Johnson and the Storm on Friday, May 8.

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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 8:01 PM.