N.Y. Liberty forced to move WNBA Commissioner's Cup title game due to NBA draft
The New York Liberty won't get to host the championship game of the WNBA's in-season tournament on their home court after being boxed out by the upcoming NBA draft.
Instead, the Commissioner's Cup title game between the Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx next Tuesday has been moved from Barclays Center in Brooklyn to the UBS Arena – the home of the NHL's New York Islanders – in nearby Belmont Park.
"While we wish we could have brought this game to our fans in our home arena, we are grateful to UBS Arena for accommodating us and providing a world-class venue in New York," Liberty CEO Keia Clarke said in a statement.
The Liberty, last year's tournament champions, earned the right to host this year's title game after going 5-0 against their Eastern conference rivals during the designated June 1-13 time period. The Lynx went 4-1 to win the West.
However, the contest is set to be played the night before the NBA draft gets underway at Barclays Center, which has hosted the NBA draft every year since 2013 (except for 2020, when it was virtual). The advance preparation required for the draft precludes a game being played at Barclays the night before – which the NBA said it informed the Liberty in advance.
According to an ESPN report, the league offered to make the teams' upcoming regular-season meeting on July 2 in New York count as the Commissioner's Cup title game, but the Lynx refused.
