Blockbuster 3-Team Trade Jump-Starts WNBA Offseason

The first domino has fallen in the WNBA offseason via a blockbuster, three-team trade.

The Seattle Storm are trading six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces, who are sending Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, according to ESPN. The Storm receive the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft from the Sparks along with center Li Yueru.

The Sparks will take back the No. 9 pick from Seattle while the Aces will receive the No. 13 pick from Los Angeles. Las Vegas had previously lost its own first-round pick in the 2025 draft as a penalty following violations of impermissible player benefits and workplace policies related to former Aces forward Dearica Hamby.

The trade comes in the middle of the second part of WNBA free agency—which started on Jan. 21—when teams are allowed to negotiate with free agents. However, teams are not allowed to sign any contracts until Feb. 1. The Chicago Sun-Times reported Saturday that teams around the WNBA were not finalizing any roster moves until a trade with Plum and Loyd was finalized.

Plum, a three-time all-star, received the core designation—a one-year deal worth around $250,000—from the Aces on Jan. 11. Loyd is entering the final year of a two-year, $491,000 deal, but requested a trade from the Storm in December hours after an internal investigation found no violations against harassment and bullying allegations. Both players won two championships with their previous organizations.

The Aces will slot Loyd in the starting line-up hole left by Plum, joining three-time MVP A’ja Wilson, and other multiple-time All-Stars in Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young. Las Vegas fell short of the finals last year after winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.

“It’s not going to be the same group probably next year, it just won’t. And I’m sad about that because I really like that group,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said after the team was eliminated from the playoffs in October.

Plum fills an important need at guard for a young Sparks team that had the worst record last season but lost out on the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery, which is expected to be UConn guard Paige Bueckers.