A pair of blockbuster WNBA trades and a massive free agent signing in the last couple of days will have the league looking very different this summer. Four of its biggest stars are on the move, marking what could be just the beginning of the upheaval.
The first deal went down Monday, Jan. 27, involving All-Star guards Kelsey Plum and Jewel Loyd. Both have won multiple WNBA Championships and were teammates on the U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning team in Paris last summer.
Point phone camera here
Loyd, the 2023 league scoring champ, is heading to Las Vegas after she requested a trade out of Seattle following 10 seasons with the team. Last week, perhaps in anticipation of a deal, she talked about her state of mind while playing in the new 3-on-3 Unrivaled Basketball League.
“Honestly, I’m just getting back to me. I’m getting back to peace and getting back to finding a joy in basketball,” Loyd said. “So that was the biggest thing in my mind, is go play hard.”
Plum, who couldn’t agree on a contract extension with Vegas, will take her two championship rings and 18 points per game average to the Los Angeles Sparks.
The third team in the deal, the Seattle Storm, will get a pair of first-round draft picks, including the number two pick in this April’s draft.
The second blockbuster deal went down Tuesday, Jan. 28, as the Connecticut Sun sent five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas to the Phoenix Mercury. Thomas, one of the greatest players in franchise history, led the Sun to the WNBA finals in 2019 and 2022. She’s finished in the top five in league MVP voting each of the last three seasons. Phoenix sent a pair of players and a first-round pick back to Connecticut in the deal.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
That last trade may have started the dominoes falling. There were multiple reports Tuesday night that 11-year veteran and star center Brittney Griner has already agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Dream. Things might get even more interesting on Saturday, Feb. 1, when players like Satou Sabally, Brionna Jones and Nneka Ogwumike sign new deals.
A PAIR OF BLOCKBUSTER TRADES IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS WILL HAVE THE WNBA LOOKING VERY DIFFERENT THIS SUMMER. THREE OF THE BIGGEST STARS IN THE LEAGUE ARE ON THE MOVE AND THIS MAY BE ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE UPHEAVAL.
THE FIRST DEAL WENT DOWN MONDAY INVOLVING ALL-STAR GUARDS KELSEY PLUM AND JEWEL LOYD. BOTH HAVE WON MULTIPLE WNBA CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THEY WERE ALSO TEAMMATES ON THE US OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNING SQUAD.
LOYD, THE 2023 LEAGUE SCORING CHAMP, REQUESTED A TRADE OUT OF SEATTLE AFTER 10 SEASONS WITH THE TEAM. SHE IS HEADING TO LAS VEGAS. LAST WEEK, PERHAPS IN ANTICIPATION OF A DEAL, LOYD TALKED ABOUT HER STATE OF MIND WHILE PLAYING IN THE NEW 3-ON-3 UNRIVALED BASKETBALL LEAGUE.
“HONESTLY, I’M JUST GETTING BACK TO ME. I’M GETTING BACK TO PEACE AND GETTING BACK TO FINDING A JOY IN BASKETBALL AND SO UH THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING IN MY MIND IS GO PLAY HARD.”
PLUM, WHO COULDN’T AGREE ON A CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH VEGAS, WILL TAKE HER TWO CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS AND 18 POINTS PER GAME AVERAGE TO THE LOS ANGELES SPARKS.
THE THIRD TEAM IN THE DEAL, THE SEATTLE STORM WILL GET A PAIR OF FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS, INCLUDING THE #2 PICK IN THIS APRIL’S DRAFT.
TUESDAY, THE SECOND BLOCKBUSTER DEAL WENT DOWN AS THE CONNECTICUT SUN SENT 5-TIME ALL-STAR ALYSSA THOMAS TO THE PHOENIX MERCURY. THOMAS, ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY, LED THE SUN TO THE WNBA FINALS IN 2019 AND 2022. SHE’S FINISHED TOP FIVE IN LEAGUE MVP VOTING EACH OF THE LAST THREE SEASONS.
PHOENIX SENT A PAIR OF PLAYERS AND A FIRST ROUND PICK BACK TO CONNECTICUT IN THE DEAL.
THESE TRADES STARTED THE SHAKE UP, BUT THINGS MIGHT REALLY GET INTERESTING ON SATURDAY WHEN FREE AGENCY BEGINS. PLAYERS LIKE BRITTNEY GRINER, SATOU SABALLY, BRIONNA JONES AND NNEKA OGWUMIKE COULD BE ON THE MOVE.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
