The decision, coming six months after the incident, has sparked widespread reactions among fans, players, and analysts, with many questioning both the timing and severity of the punishment.

In a surprising move, the WNBA has handed Carter a retroactive 5-game suspension along with a $30 fine. The fine itself has drawn criticism, with many fans mocking its small amount, but the suspension signals a significant shift in how the league is addressing aggressive play.

“A $30 fine is laughable, but a 5-game suspension is serious,” one fan wrote on social media. “Why wait six months? Either it was a big deal then, or it wasn’t.”

Others believe the punishment is an overreaction, arguing that Carter’s foul, while physical, was not suspension-worthy. Many WNBA veterans have defended the league’s physical nature, stating that Clark must adjust to the intensity of professional basketball rather than expect special treatment.

Chennedy Carter and the 3 best WNBA free agents still available, ranked

Most of the top available free agents have already signed — but there are a few standouts still available.

Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images

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The majority of the WNBA’s top free agents have been signed — with stars like Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally joining the Phoenix Mercury, Kelsey Plum heading to the Los Angeles Sparks, and Kelsey Mitchell and Nneka Ogwumike re-signing with their previous teams.

But, free agency isn’t quite over yet. As of Feb. 5, there are still several highly impactful players who would instantly elevate any WNBA team.

Here are the top free agents still available.

Note: Breanna Stewart and Gabby Williams have both been cored by their respective teams (the Liberty and the Storm) but neither have signed their one-year supermax deals yet. Still, they aren’t included on this list of available free agents.

1. Emma Meesseman

2024 Team: N/A. Last played for the Chicago Sky in 2022.

Emma Meesseman just might be one of the best players in the world. The Belgian forward, who sat out of the 2024 WNBA season, was the 2019 Finals MVP and one of the best Olympic performers in Paris last summer. Meesseman, 6’4 forward who has spent most of her career with the Washington Mystics, is currently playing in the EuroLeague for the Turkish club Fenerbahce. That team is filled with WNBA talent, including players like Gabby Williams and Tina Charles, but she’s been the team’s most impactful player, averaging 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds on 59.8% shooting.

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton reported that Meesseman won’t take meetings with WNBA teams until mid-February. But, if she does decide to return to the U.S., where she ends up will be hugely impactful.

2. Elena Delle Donne

2024 Team: N/A. Last played for Washington Mystics in 2023.

Delle Donne is another player on this list who may or may not return to the WNBA. Delle Donne has averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in her 10 years in the league — but sat out of the 2024 season.

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

At 35 years old, Delle Donne is likely past her prime. But, in the 2023 season, she was still highly impactful, averaging 16.7 points per game on 48.5% shooting. She’s also a big who can reliably stretch the floor, with her career three-point percentage being 39.2%.

If Delle Donne is healthy and decides to return to the WNBA, she’d be an impact player to watch.

3. Chennedy Carter

2024 WNBA team: Chicago Sky

Chennedy Carter is coming off one of the best seasons of her career — she averaged 17.5 points and 3.1 assists on 48.7% shooting on the Chicago Sky last year. But, despite being the team’s most consistent player on the court, the Sky surprisingly opted not to extend the restricted free agent an offer. As such, Carter has played for three WNBA teams in four seasons — the Dream, Sparks, and Sky — but has yet to find a long-term home.

Per the Chicago Sun-Time’s Annie Costabile, the Sky’s decision not to sign Carter was “tied to locker room issues and an overall concern that re-signing her would negatively impact free agency.”

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

If the off-court stuff works, Carter is a great shotmaker who could either uplift a struggling team or instantly benefit a contender. Right now, she’s been tearing up the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Carter is not a three-point shooter — she’s shot 29.3% from three in her four-year WNBA career — but she’s an elite finisher and midrange shooter who can create space like few others.

4. Tiffany Hayes

2024 WNBA team: Las Vegas Aces

Tiffany Hayes is fresh off of a Sixth Player of the Year campaign with the Las Vegas Aces, in which she averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 21.5 minutes off the bench. Her efficiency was through the roof — the 35-year-old veteran shot 50% from the field and 40.2% from three.

Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images

She’s also currently been one of Unrivaled’s standout players — in a league with 37 of the WNBA’s top players, Hayes has been the 7th leading scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game in just 13 minutes a night. Whether she re-signs with Las Vegas remains to be seen, but wherever she ends up will benefit from her natural scoring ability and 11 years of WNBA experience.