Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum are part of a three-team WNBA trade involving the Seattle Storm, Las Vegas Aces, and Los Angeles Sparks, marking the first trade with multiple No. 1 picks.
Six-time All-Star guard Jewell Loyd and three-time All-Star guard Kelsey Plum are switching teams in a big three-team trade between the Seattle Storm, Las Vegas Aces, and Los Angeles Sparks.
Multiple sources reported the news, but the deal won’t be official until February 1.
This trade is a big deal for the WNBA because it’s the first time multiple No. 1 draft picks are involved in the same trade, according to ESPN.
Here’s what the teams are getting:
- Las Vegas Aces: They’re getting Jewell Loyd from Seattle and the 13th pick in this year’s draft from Los Angeles. The Aces finished last season 27-13 after failing to win back-to-back championships.
- Seattle Storm: They’ll get the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft (from Los Angeles), the Aces’ 2026 first-round pick, and Sparks forward Li Yueru. Seattle went 25-15 last season.
- Los Angeles Sparks: They’re getting Kelsey Plum from Las Vegas, along with two picks from Seattle: the No. 9 pick in this year’s draft and the Storm’s 2026 second-round pick. The Sparks struggled last season, finishing 8-32.
Jewell Loyd, the 2015 Rookie of the Year, has played all 10 of her WNBA seasons with Seattle, averaging 16.9 points per game.
Last season, she hit a career-high 24.7 points per game. However, Loyd reportedly wanted to leave Seattle, accusing the coaching staff of harassment and bullying.
Kelsey Plum, a free agent, was cored by the Aces, which means she could only leave via a trade. This made the deal more complicated and is why it won’t be finalized until February 1.
Plum, who was drafted No. 1 in 2017, spent her rookie year in Seattle before playing seven seasons with the Aces.
She missed the 2020 season due to an Achilles injury but has averaged 14.3 points and four assists in her career.
Her best season was in 2022 when she averaged 20.2 points per game and finished third in MVP voting.
This trade could shake up the league, especially with all the draft picks involved. It’s going to be interesting to see how these moves impact the teams next season!
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