Texas Ranchers Make Bold Move as Major League Pickleball Waiver Period Gets Underway

Thursday marks the first MLP waiver wire period of 2024 in Major League Pickleball. The Premier Level waiver wire period is Thursday, and Friday will be the Challenger Level pickleball waiver wire.

Which MLP Teams Could Be Looking to Upgrade During the First Waiver Period?

Major League Pickleball’s first waiver period is here, with both Premier and Challenger Level teams potentially looking for upgrades. We run through some potential scenarios.

The Dink PickleballErik Tice

The 2024 MLP Waiver Wire Gets Underway

It's been a busy Thursday thus far.

With the first selection of this pickleball waiver wire, the Texas Ranchers moved up to the first MLP waiver wire position Thursday morning and clearly had a plan in mind. They not only manipulated their roster to make room, they also sent $100,000 to the Utah Black Diamonds for the top waiver spot.

And with that first selection, the Ranchers added Quang Duong to the squad.

Texas Ranchers Secure the Top MLP Waiver Wire Spot

Prior to the MLP waiver wire period kicking off, Major League Pickleball announced three trades:

Three Major League Pickleball Trades Before the MLP Waiver Wire

Trade No. 1: Bay Area Breakers Deal Vivian Glozman to the D.C. Pickleball Team

Bay Area Breakers (Challenger Level) trade Vivian Glozman to the D.C. Pickleball Team (Premier Level) for Allyce Jones and cash considerations (reportedly $100,000).

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Why this trade makes sense for Bay Area: The Breakers are in first place in the Challenger Level and Glozman is a big reason for that. Owner Geoffrey Nguyen is very close with Glozman and while he obviously wanted her on his team, he is looking out for her best interests as well by trading her to a very good Premier Level team.

Why this trade makes sense for D.C.: D.C. is in fifth place in the Premier Level and looking very solid. The women's doubles team was the only area where they needed to improve. D.C. gets an upgrade in Glozman in every facet of the game -- mixed, women's, and singles.

Winner(s) of this trade: Vivian Glozman, D.C. Pickleball Team, Bay Area Breakers.

Loser(s) of this trade: Allyce Jones goes from Premier to Challenger Level.

Trades No. 2 and 3: Texas Ranchers Complete a Bold MLP Waiver Wire Sequence

Trade No. 2: The Brooklyn Aces (Challenger Level) trade Martin Emmrich and cash considerations to the Texas Ranchers (Premier Level) for Pablo Tellez.

Trade No. 3: The Texas Ranchers (Premier Level) trade their Waiver Wire pick (Round 1, Pick 7) and cash considerations to the Utah Black Diamonds (Premier Level) for their Waiver Wire pick (Round 1, Pick 1).

I am considering these two MLP waiver wire trades one big trade, and here is why: Essentially, the Texas Ranchers wanted to replace Pablo Tellez with Quang Duong.

Instead of dropping Pablo, they worked the GM phone lines and found a partner who wanted Tellez in the Brooklyn Aces. Pablo is an upgrade over Martin Emmrich.

Texas also paid cash for the Black Diamond's first overall MLP waiver wire slot, because they plan to drop Martin Emmrich and pick up Quang Duong.

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Why this trade makes sense for Brooklyn: The Aces get arguably the best lefty in the game and only had to pay some cash for him. Pablo paired with Daniel De La Rosa in Challenger is going to be a scary team.

Additionally, and more importantly, Lotto wins here. Lotto recently became a minority owner of the Brooklyn Aces and Pablo is also sponsored by Lotto, connecting the player with the team.

Why this trade makes sense for Texas: Texas GM Ryan Dawidjian obviously saw enough of Quang Duong for him to think Duong is an upgrade over Pablo. While I tend to disagree, Ryan is extremely smart and has personal experience with Duong. Dawidjian also did a great job getting some money for Pablo rather than just dropping him.

Why this trade makes sense for Utah: Utah was not going to take Quang Duong for their team, so why not trade back for some cash? Makes a ton of sense if you weren't planning on picking someone up.

Winner(s) of this MLP waiver wire trade: Quang Duong, who isn't even technically a part of this MLP waiver wire transaction, the Utah Black Diamonds, the Brooklyn Aces, and Lotto.

Loser(s) of this trade: Martin Emmrich, who was dropped (I would be shocked if a Challenger Level team doesn't pick him up tomorrow in the Challenger Level Waiver Wire), and Pablo Tellez, who goes down to Challenger.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MLP waiver wire?

The MLP waiver wire is a roster management period in Major League Pickleball that allows teams to claim available players, trade roster slots, and make strategic upgrades between events. It is one of the most exciting elements of the league because it can completely reshape the competitive landscape overnight.

How does the MLP waiver wire work?

Teams are assigned waiver wire positions based on their standings, with lower-ranked teams getting priority picks. Teams can also trade their waiver wire slot to another team, sometimes for significant cash consideration, as the Texas Ranchers demonstrated by paying $100,000 for the No. 1 overall pick.

What is the difference between the Premier Level and Challenger Level pickleball waiver wire?

The Premier Level pickleball waiver wire is held first and applies to the top tier of MLP teams, while the Challenger Level waiver wire follows the next day. Both levels operate under the same basic rules, but Premier Level moves tend to carry more financial weight and strategic complexity.

Why did the Texas Ranchers pay $100,000 for the top MLP waiver wire spot?

The Ranchers had a specific target in mind: Quang Duong, and they needed the first overall pick to guarantee they could add him before any other team. Texas GM Ryan Dawidjian orchestrated a multi-trade sequence to land Duong, demonstrating just how proactive teams can be during an MLP waiver wire period.

Who benefited most from the 2024 MLP waiver wire transactions?

Quang Duong emerged as the biggest winner, landing on a Premier Level team without being directly part of any trade. The Brooklyn Aces also gained significantly, acquiring arguably the best lefty in the game in Pablo Tellez while deepening a Challenger Level roster that now looks dangerous.