WNBA teams had to designate their core players by end of business-day Friday (EST) and only two were named. Washington cored G Katie Smith and Tulsa did the same for Deanna Nolan, who skipped the 2010 season due to injuries from year-round play. Nolan also didn't like the Shock relocating from her native Michigan to Oklahoma.

Seattle left All-Star Swin Cash unprotected, meaning she can negotiate with any team when that part of the free agency period opens Saturday. But Storm fans shouldn't freak, especially since the CBA means she'll earn the same $103,500 no matter where she signed.

Cash, who shot a career-best 43.5 percent from three-point range in 2010, has mentioned distance from East Coast family and, as a three-time WNBA champion, she could want to see about winning with another team. But she does have a good relationship with the core pieces set to return to Seattle in defense of the Storm's record 28-6 championship season.

Storm coach Brian Agler, who's also director of player personnel, said he was confident Cash, 31, wanted to return to Seattle and "coring" her was only one negotiation tool. According to Agler, it limits a player to a one-year, max deal. The team and Cash (pictured right by The Seattle Times) have intimated wanting a longer deal, so Cash could have been left unprotected in order to sign a multi-year contract once eligible Feb. 1.

"We feel confident we'll get something done," Agler said via phone from his home in Ohio earlier this month. "She's mentioned to us that she wants to be in Seattle and I've been on record multiple times that getting her re-signed and Camille (Little) re-signed are very important to our team."

Agler traveled to Europe to scout players and will be back in Seattle this weekend for the season-ticket holders' "Winter Warm-up" at Washington's basketball game against California at Edmundson Pavilion. We'll have more information then.

Click here to see the full list of free agents provided by the WNBA.

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