LOS ANGELES — After securing the second overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, the Los Angeles Sparks executed a three-team trade to acquire Kelsey Plum from the Las Vegas Aces. As part of this deal, Jewell Lloyd was traded to the Aces, while the Seattle Storm received the second overall pick from the Sparks.
Blockbuster WNBA deal: The Seattle Storm are trading six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in a multi-team move that sends three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, sources tell me, @ramonashelburne, @alexaphilippou, @kendra__andrews. pic.twitter.com/OlRb37RKIA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2025
The deal involves Sparks center Li Yueru moving to Seattle, while the Storm sends their ninth overall pick in the upcoming draft to Los Angeles. The Aces will receive the Sparks’ 13th overall pick.
The Sparks have traded away their future picks and Yueru, who averaged 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds over 38 games. With their newly hired head coach, Lynne Roberts, who left her position at Utah in November, it is clear that the team is fully committed to winning now.
This move signifies a shift towards a winning culture in Los Angeles. Acquiring an established champion like Plum, who is a two-time champion with the Aces, could be the crucial addition the Sparks need. She will complement her former teammate, Dearica Hamby, as well as the top two draft picks from 2024, Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink.
🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽 https://t.co/6IIuhimGuy pic.twitter.com/oIlU6emi5g
— Dearica Marie Hamby (@dearicamarie) January 27, 2025
The future looks bright for Los Angeles, especially with the three-time All-Star making Crypto.com Arena her home.
Plum, 30, is entering her eighth season in the WNBA. Last season, she averaged 17.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.6 rebounds over 38 games.
As the Aces transition away from Plum, they also welcome another champion, Lloyd, from Seattle. The Aces aimed to secure their third consecutive WNBA championship but were ultimately eliminated by the New York Liberty in four games. Las Vegas needed to change their roster, as last season exemplified a team that no longer functioned as it used to.