Blockbuster WNBA commerce alters futures of Aces, Storm, Sparks – what we all know 

The whole WNBA panorama dramatically modified on Sunday night time, due to a blockbuster three-team commerce, first reported by ESPN, that can ship Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces, Li Yueru and the 2025 no. 2 decide to the Seattle Storm, and Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks.

The commerce marks the primary time two former WNBA No. 1 picks are concerned in the identical commerce – and it helps carry a wave of power and pleasure to the Sparks franchise. Plum and Loyd each find yourself of their desired commerce locations, whereas the Storm could have the chance to pick one of many 2025 draft class’s prime gamers.

The complete commerce particulars are as follows:

• Las Vegas Aces: purchase Jewell Loyd (from Storm), no. 13 decide in 2025 (from Storm)
• Seattle Storm: purchase no. 2 decide (from Sparks), Li Yueru, 2026 first-round draft decide (from Aces)
• Los Angeles Sparks: purchase Kelsey Plum (from Aces), no. 9 decide in 2025 (from Storm), 2026 second-round decide (from Storm)

The deal is sensible for a number of causes – and is seemingly a win for all (or not less than most) concerned events.

Right here’s what we all know thus far:

Jewell Loyd joins the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces

Picture by David Becker/NBAE through Getty Photographs

Loyd, one in all Seattle’s longtime franchise gamers, reportedly requested a commerce final month, per Annie Costabile of the Chicago Solar-Occasions. That got here after she alleged she confronted harassment and bullying by the Seattle Storm teaching employees – led by Noelle Quinn – and ESPN finally reported that the investigation concluded with none violations.

On Sunday, quickly after the commerce was formally introduced, Callie Fin of the Las Vegas Assessment-Journal confirmed that the Aces had been Loyd’s most well-liked vacation spot.

Whereas she had a down 12 months in 2024 from an effectivity standpoint – capturing a career-low 36% from the sphere – she’s nonetheless one of many league’s prolific scorers and was the WNBA’s scoring chief in 2023. Regardless of the way you slice it, Loyd is a two-time WNBA champion who has averaged 19.7 factors, 4.5 rebounds, and three.6 assists in her 9-year profession.

Her effectivity could possibly be poised to enhance alongside the Aces’ breadth of star energy, and it’s very attainable that opposing groups gained’t be capable to cowl her in Las Vegas the identical approach they did when she was in Seattle. The Aces are headlined by three-time league MVP A’ja Wilson — the league’s main scorer and rebounder in 2024 — in addition to Olympic guards Jackie Younger and Chelsea Grey. Loyd was teammates with all three on the U.S. Olympic basketball group in Paris.

For the Aces, the transfer ought to doubtless be thought of a win provided that there are few capturing guards across the league higher suited to switch Plum. It additionally permits them to draft within the first spherical in April.

Kelsey Plum will get a recent begin with the Los Angeles Sparks

Picture by David Becker/NBAE through Getty Photographs

Plum, girls’s division I basketball’s second all-time main scorer, will get to return to her residence state of California and lead a promising younger core headlined by Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, and rejoin forces with former Aces teammate Dearica Hamby. Plum is a two-time WNBA champion who has averaged 17.8 factors and 4.2 assists in her 7-year WNBA profession.

In its present kind, this Sparks group is unlikely to be a bunch that contends for a championship. And, this franchise hasn’t acquired the extent of sources or funding from possession that the Aces has. The Sparks don’t at the moment have their very own observe facility – although they not too long ago introduced plans to construct one – whereas the Aces had been the primary WNBA group to have their very own facility.

However, if Plum was in search of a recent begin elsewhere, this affords her that chance to take action in a serious media market alongside a slew of younger expertise and a brand-new coach in Lynne Roberts.

On the opposite aspect, the Sparks’ determination to commerce for Plum indicators a want to win now. Plum is 30 years outdated and is amid her prime, and her timeline higher aligns with Dearica Hamby’s, who was the group’s main scorer final 12 months. Together with her within the fold, Los Angeles is best positioned to make a playoff push after ending close to the underside of the league standings for the previous few seasons.

Plum acquired the core designation by the Aces, so she needed to log off on the commerce with a purpose to find yourself in Los Angeles. ESPN’s Alexa Phillipou reported that Plum wished to finish up in Los Angeles after spending her complete profession with the Las Vegas Aces up to now – and that she want to stick with the group past 2025.

Li Yueru and the No. 2 decide to the Storm

Picture by Juan Ocampo/NBAE through Getty Photographs

For the Storm, provided that it appeared more and more apparent that Loyd wasn’t going to be glad in Seattle long-term, this can be a fairly optimistic end result. The return on their main scorer is headlined by the no. 2 total decide within the upcoming draft, which might land them a high-impact incoming rookie like Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles or USC’s Kiki Iriafen.

Yueru can also be a probably high-impact participant who might bolster Seattle’s frontcourt depth. In her third WNBA season, the 6’7 middle from China averaged 5.1 factors and three.7 rebounds per recreation.

The commerce will likely be formally confirmed on Feb. 1 – however per Costabile, it was anticipated to be the primary domino to fall forward of extra WNBA free company strikes. These are anticipated to be introduced within the coming days.