1 October 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives past New York Liberty forwards Kayla Thornton (5) and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) during game two of the 2024 WNBA semifinals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Six-time All-Star guard Jewell Loyd and three-time honoree guard Kelsey Plum are on the way in a three-way trade involving the Seattle Storm, Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks, according to multiple media outlets.
The transaction, which cannot be made official until Feb. 1, also includes significant draft capital that could further change the landscape of the league. The trade would be the first in league history involving multiple No. 1 overall picks, according to ESPN.
The Aces, who came up short in their bid to win their straight title in 2024 when they finished 27-13, would get Loyd from Seattle and the 13th pick (from Los Angeles) in this season’s draft.
The Storm (25-15) will receive the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft (from Los Angeles), Las Vegas’ first pick in 2026 and Sparks forward Li Yueru.
The last-place Sparks (8-32) get the plum from the ace and two draft picks from Seattle: No. 9 this year and the Storm’s second-round pick in 2026.
Loyd is under contract for another season but wanted out of Seattle amid her allegations that the coaching staff harassed and bullied players. The 2015 Rookie of the Year is averaging 16.9 points in her 10 WNBA seasons, all in Seattle. Her career high in scoring was 24.7 points in 2023. She was the top pick in the 2015 draft.
Plum, a free agent, was in love with Las Vegas, meaning she could only be moved via a trade. The sign-and-trade element is what necessitates the delay until February 1st.
Plum played her first season in Seattle after being the top pick in 2017. She then spent seven years in Las Vegas, though she sat out 2020 with an Achilles injury. She is averaging 14.3 points and four assists. She posted 20.2 points per game in 2022, when she was third in MVP voting.
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