The WNBA offseason is in full swing. Last week was quiet with the start of free agency on Tuesday, but Sunday night's breaking news made up for it. The Las Vegas Aces, Los Angeles Sparks, and Seattle Storm agreed to a trade that sent two stars to new teams.
On Saturday, Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that a "proposed deal" needed to happen (subscription required) before the free agency frenzy began. It happened the next day, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the trade had been finalized.
Kelsey Plum, who entered the offseason as a free agent and was cored by Las Vegas, was traded from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Jewell Loyd, who requested a trade from the Storm in December, was traded to the Aces (her preferred destination, as reported by Costabile).
Full details of Aces-Sparks-Storm trade involving Kelsey Plum, Jewell Loyd
The Aces received Loyd and the No. 13 pick (from LA) in the 2025 WNBA Draft in the deal, the Sparks received Plum, the No. 9 pick (from Seattle) in the draft and a 2026 second-round pick (from Seattle), and the Storm received Li Yueru, the No. 2 pick in the draft (from LA), and a 2026 first-round pick (from Las Vegas).
The Storm are acquiring the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and Li Yueru from the Sparks in this three-team trade, with the Sparks getting No. 9 from Seattle and the Aces receiving No. 13 from LA, sources tell me, @ramonashelburne, @alexaphilippou and @kendra__andrews. https://t.co/Di1CWmMyTF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2025
Also involved in the trade:
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) January 27, 2025
Seattle gets Las Vegas' 2026 first-round pick
Los Angeles gets Seattle's 2026 second-round pick https://t.co/HJHpf2vtDZ
ESPN's Alexa Philippou reported that Plum approved the trade and wants to stay in Los Angeles beyond the 2025 season. The guard is from Poway, Cali., about two hours from LA. Plum is getting the fresh start she wanted in her home state after spending the first seven years of her career in San Antonio/Las Vegas.
Adding some context to today's news:
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) January 27, 2025
Kelsey Plum joins L.A. hoping to be a Spark beyond 2025, sources tell me. As a cored player, Plum had to be traded to leave Las Vegas, but she signed off, i.e. chose, Los Angeles as her new destination
Loyd is also leaving the only WNBA team she's known after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2015. She will help keep the Aces in contention after losing their first championship core member in Plum. Loyd is a two-time champion herself.
The Storm also had a busy offseason last year, including re-signing Loyd to a two-year deal. Seattle also signed Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike. The supposed "superteam" finished with a 25-15 record and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Ogwumike is a free agent again but could re-sign with the Storm.
If so, Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith (signed through the 2025 season) could play alongside Olivia Miles. The expectation is that Seattle will select the Notre Dame guard with the No. 2 pick acquired in the trade.
It will be interesting to see how the rest of the offseason shakes out now that the biggest domino has fallen. Get ready for it.