Projecting the Portland Fire Final Roster
Today Portland traded Maya Caldwell and Chloe Bibby, providing additional clarity on their 2026 regular season-opening roster.
By 2 PM PST tomorrow afternoon, the Portland Fire must finish a challenge.
The Rose City’s WNBA expansion team entered training camp with ten of their eleven expansion draft picks, 2026 WNBA Draft second rounder Frieda Bühner, draft night trade Serah Williams, and five free agent signings.
Now, the Fire must slim down to the WNBA collective bargaining agreement’s new regular season roster limit: 12 veterans, plus 2 additional developmental players. One of those developmental slots is accounted for: the aforementioned German forward Bühner. Everything else is up for grabs.
Following up on a piece I wrote after training camp began, this article features my updated Portland Fire roster projections.
Developmental Players (2) - Frieda Bühner, Serah Williams
Serah Williams might be the Fire’s best story right now. The UConn rookie center faces an uphill climb to make the final roster - over the past two seasons, only 2/25 total third round rookies reached opening day - but so far she has proved herself worthy. In last Wednesday’s preseason opener, the defensive stopper flexed her prowess near the rim, but also showed something fans hadn’t seen: shooting touch. During one set in the second quarter, Fire reserve guard Jordan Harrison looped the basketball over her shoulder to an open Williams at the top of the key, who calmly swished a long two.
Williams scored 9 points in 10 minutes last Wednesday, then 12 points in 19 minutes Sunday. Over both games, she racked up 11 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and one of the few positive +/- tallies (+3) on the team. Third round picks don’t make many WNBA rosters, but Williams has earned an exception to the norm.
Guards (6) - Carla Leite, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sug Sutton, Karlie Samuelson, Jordan Harrison, Teja Oblak
Hours after trading guard Maya Caldwell to Minnesota, her spot goes to Jordan Harrison. Against Seattle, the free agent guard played scored 5 points and 3 assists across 21 minutes. She shone brighter against Los Angeles, notching 9 points and 4 assists across 18 minutes. Crucially, Harrison possesses something sorely lacking on Portland’s roster: speed.
European free-agent signing Teja Oblak makes my list, which may surprise many fans. Oblak boasts something Portland’s roster is starving for: experience. The 35 year old Slovenian has played professionally for 24 years now, and could play the role of a wise mentor for a team that needs one. The fact that Caldwell - an expansion draft pick and projected starter - got moved before Oblak suggests that the Fire front office see something in a player who has never competed in the W.
I expect Portland’s starting lineup to feature Carla Leite and Sarah Ashlee Barker, who each lined up for Wednesday’s opening tip. When Portland wants to go small, expect the emerging star Leite to pair with veteran point guard Sug Sutton. When the Fire want to add length, three and D specialist Karlie Samuelson will take Barker’s place. If either starter needs a rest, or the Fire simply need more speed in transition, good lord, that’s Jordan Harrison’s music.
Forwards (4) - Bridget Carleton, Emily Engstler, Haley Jones, Nyadiew Puoch
Without Bibby, Portland are light at the forward position, and might make this piece moot with a last-second trade or free-agent signing to bolster their numbers. If the roster remains as currently constructed, I expect a core four players to remain in the Rose City: Bridget Carleton, Emily Engstler, Haley Jones, and Nyadiew Puoch.
Puoch in particular flashes potential. In Sunday’s preseason finale, she finished with perfect shooting percentages inside and outside the three point line. Defensively, her game needs work: the Sparks repeatedly challenged the Aussie rookie on Sunday, and she entered halftime with a team low -16 plus/minus.
I expect Carleton and Engstler to start, with Haley Jones the first call off the bench, and Puoch soaking up valuable playing experience as she furthers her career.
Centers (2) - Luisa Geiselsöder, Megan Gustafson
While Carla Leite has earned headlines, the play of Luisa Geiselsöder has been equally revelatory this preseason. Coming off her rookie year in Dallas, Geiselsöder has proven the Fire front office right for selecting the German big in last month’s expansion draft. In two games, she displayed a pick & roll connection with Leite, the ability to set a variety of screens for teammates, and the skill to swish three point shots. In Alex Sarama’s system - which prioritizes three point shooting and perimeter spacing at the expense of traditional post play - Geiselsöder is the team’s obvious starting center. Behind her, expect longtime WNBA veteran Megan Gustafson to provide critical depth at a position of need.
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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.
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