The Kelsey Plum saga has already come to an end with the Phoenix Mercury securing the talented guard's signature. The deal presents the Mercury with an outside shot at salvaging their disappointing season. In contrast, for the Los Angeles Sparks, the trade signals a second opportunity for the franchise to restart the roster rebuild they started several years ago.
Los Angeles took a major risk by giving up future assets to accelerate their championship ambitions and land Kelsey Plum in 2024. However, with the Sparks' season spiralling and the 31-year-old reportedly unwilling to sign a contract extension with the franchise, according to Annie Costabile, the front office had no choice but to cash in on their star player.
The trade for Plum's services saw the Sparks acquire Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick. In hindsight, LA may question whether they could have driven a harder bargain, but for now, the three-time WNBA champions can create a clear vision for the future.
Sparks can't afford to make the same mistake again
Just two years ago, the future was looking so bright for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team had just selected Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson with the second and fourth overall picks of the 2024 draft, respectively. Additionally, LA was in the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes just a year later, before the Dallas Wings snatched the superstar by winning the lottery.
From that moment onwards, the Sparks chose to swiftly end their rebuild and fast-track their championship ambitions, with Kelsey Plum the first move in that direction. At the start of the 2026 season, Ariel Atkins was the next domino to fall as the front office continued its pursuit of eternal glory. Nevertheless, with the team's record sitting at 10-17 on the year, it is clear that this impulsive decision-making was a catastrophic idea.
Now, with two first-round picks at their disposal in 2027 -- in a class that could potentially include talents such as JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, and Madison Booker -- the Sparks can finally regain their poise and create something special for the future.
If Brink can discover a clean bill of health, the impressive center is still only 24 years old. Additionally, after acquiring Monique Akoa Makani (25), while still boasting talents such as Rae Burrell (26) and Kate Martin (26) on their roster, the Sparks have a strong young core to build an exciting team.
Losing a player as talented as Kelsey Plum would be a disaster for most franchises, but for the LA Sparks, it can be an opportunity to continue a rebuild that held so much potential just a few seasons ago.
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