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Liberty release Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to make room for Marine Fauthoux’s multi-year deal
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- Liberty release Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to make room for Marine Fauthoux’s multi-year deal
Queen B is no longer a member of the Liberty .
The Liberty front office opted to waive fan favorite Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to make room for Marine Fauthoux's multi-year deal.
The team announced Laney-Hamilton's release and Fauthoux's deal on Thursday.
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Fauthoux, who initially joined the team in April on a developmental contract, quickly approached the 12-game mark capped for players inked to such deals as the Liberty dealt with injuries and searched for rotational success.
With Laney-Hamilton glued to the bench as a healthy scratch for the last month and the team unable to find a trade partner for her at last week's deadline, Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb ended the Laney-Hamilton era as the team announced her release Thursday afternoon.
"We want to thank Betnijah for everything she has given to this organization. She has been an instrumental part of our success since 2021 and has made a lasting impact on our team, both on and off the court," Kolb said in a statement. "We're incredibly grateful for her professionalism, leadership, and the commitment she brought to the New York Liberty every day."
Laney-Hamilton had been a healthy scratch for the last eight games.
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She was a mainstay in Liberty rotations since arriving in New York in 2021. She averaged 30.4 minutes per game under head coach Walt Hopkins and Sandy Brondello from 2021-24. She averaged 13.2 points and 3.4 assists during that span, including her 16.8 points per game during her 2021 All-Star season.
Her numbers dropped to 4.7 points per game in 16.8 minutes before completely falling out of DeMarco's rotation in 2026.
The rocky 2026 season came after she signed a one-year, $400,000 deal with the Liberty following a lengthy rehab for a torn left meniscus, which caused her to miss the entire 2025 WNBA season.
She started five games this season before being relegated to the bench, with DeMarco continuously citing Laney-Hamilton's importance on the team. The last game of her Liberty tenure was a July 12 loss to the Toronto Tempo , a matchup she got ejected for throwing a shoe at Marina Mabrey .
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As her playing time dwindled — and other key Liberty players injured, too — Fauthoux found herself in DeMarco's rotation. Entering Thursday, Fauthoux averaged 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11 games.
Per the new WNBA CBA, a player on a developmental contract is limited to 12 games or, as the season footprint increases, 25% of the regular season, whichever is greater. Once a player hits the active game cap, a team must either sign them to a standard deal or release them.
As Fauthoux approached her 12-game limit, Laney-Hamilton's fate became clear.
The team reportedly were in trade talks with the Connecticut Sun for Annesah Morrow before the forward got dealt to Toronto. The Liberty also checked in on Kelsey Plum before the Los Angeles Sparks dealt the star to the Phoenix Mercury .
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Laney-Hamilton's status with the Liberty made her a potential trade chip for a deal, but the franchise failed to offload her prior to last Sunday's deadline.
"While this decision is incredibly difficult, we believe this will give Betnijah the best opportunity to pursue a larger basketball role," Kolb said in a statement. "We wish her nothing but success moving forward, and she'll always be a member of the Liberty family. As a key contributor to the first championship in franchise history, Betnijah's legacy with the Liberty is forever cemented."
Now, the Liberty are without their second longest tenured player and a key member of the team's lone title in 2024.
Laney-Hamilton, 32, is likely to have multiple suitors on the open market.
