AP Source: Stewart, Loyd staying with Seattle Storm

Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd have agreed to return to Seattle, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday night because no official announcement has been made. Free agents can’t officially sign with teams until Tuesday.

Loyd and Stewart will sign one-year deals for the supermax salary of $228,094 with the Storm. That potentially gives them one more season with point guard Sue Bird, the WNBA’s all-time assist leader who announced on social media that she’d return for one more year.

The Storm won the 2018 and 2020 championships with that same core group of players and were poised to make another run at the title before Stewart got hurt late in the regular season and missed the overtime playoff loss to Phoenix.

Stewart underwent surgery for a minor repair and reinforcement of the Achilles tendon in her left leg in October. She missed the 2019 WNBA season after an Achilles injury she suffered while playing overseas.

Yahoo! Sports was the first to report Stewart’s signing.

People with knowledge of other free agent deals, who spoke on condition of anonymity because deals can’t be finalized until Tuesday, told the AP:

— Angel McCoughtry is heading to Minnesota,

— Stefanie Dolson is coming home to New York,

— Tiffany Hayes is re-signing with Atlanta,

— Elizabeth Williams is going to Washington,

— Emma Meesseman is joining Chicago, and

— Courtney Williams is heading back to Connecticut.

All-Star Sylvia Fowles announced she was heading back to Minnesota on social media..

Other unrestricted free agents who haven’t signed yet include Liz Cambage, Tina Charles and Candice Dupree.

Earlier Monday, the Phoenix Mercury traded Kia Vaughn to the Atlanta Dream for the team’s third-round pick in the draft next year.