Blockbuster Multi-Team Trade Sees Major Moves Between Sparks, Storm and Aces
This Sunday night, a huge multi-team trade was decided upon between the Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle Storm, and Las Vegas Aces. The Seattle Storm will be getting the second pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and Li Yueru of the LA Sparks, while the LA Sparks will get Kelsey Plum from the Las Vegas Aces and the ninth pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The Las Vegas Aces will also receive Jewell Loyd from the Seattle Storm and the 13th pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft. Although various rumors have been floating around regarding free agency and trades, this is the first big move to occur during the WNBA offseason, and it will surely shake up every team involved.
Perhaps the biggest bombshell in this trade is guard Kelsey Plum’s arrival to the LA Sparks. The Sparks placed last in the Western Conference of the 2024 WNBA season, with an 8-32 record, but were looking to turn things around in 2025 with the return of forward Cameron Brink from an injury and the second pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft. A large majority of mock drafts predicted the Sparks to pick Kiki Iriafen of USC or Olivia Miles of Notre Dame at this second spot, although that is now out of the question as the LA Sparks no longer have this pick. Instead, I believe the LA Sparks will bode well with Kelsey Plum in their lineup. Plum will be reuniting with former teammate Dearica Hamby in Los Angeles and will provide the Sparks with the veteran influence it so desperately needs, especially in regards to mentoring rising stars Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. Plum played with the Las Vegas Aces for six seasons and is a three-time WNBA all-star, two-time WNBA Champion, and Olympic gold medalist. She averaged 17.8 points and 4.2 assists per game with the Aces last season. Plum is a San Diego native and will be returning to Southern California once again.
Seattle now has a chance to land players like Olivia Miles or Kiki Iriafen with the second pick in the draft to play alongside Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike and will receive center Li Yueru as well. Yueru averaged 5.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 14.4 minutes per game with the Sparks last season. Jewell Loyd requested a trade from the Storm on December 4th after 10 seasons with the team. Reports of player mistreatment and bullying from the coaching staff played a part in Loyd’s trade request, although an external investigation into the matter yielded no findings or further action. Loyd is a six-time WNBA all-star and also an Olympic gold medalist alongside Plum, and was a starting guard for the Storm, averaging 19.7 points and 3.6 assists per game last season.
