LOS ANGELES -- Another domino has fallen for the Los Angeles Sparks. Their big trade acquisition from last year is coming back. Per Shams Charania of ESPN...
Four-time WNBA All-Star and two-time champion Kelsey Plum is signing a one-year, $999,999 deal to return to the Los Angeles Sparks, per ESPN sources. Plum was in line for the $1.4 million supermax but opted to sign at discounted rate to give the Sparks financial flexibility to… pic.twitter.com/0JbzEqrcRc
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 12, 2026
Kelsey Plum came here from Las Vegas in a stunning Jan. 2025 trade when she was sent to Los Angeles in a three-way deal involving the #2 pick and Li Yueru going to Seattle and Jewell Loyd going to the Aces. Plum was the lone all-star for the Sparks in 2025 as she led the team with 19.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.
“Vegas has been home. It’s treated me really well. I’m grateful to the fans and the organization. And it’s a new chapter in my life,” Plum said during her welcome press conference in Crypto.Com Arena last year.
In a curious but not unusual move, Plum took less money to help the Sparks have the financial flexibility to sign a big free agent. The new CBA rules have the WNBA salary cap at $7 million. It was reported that Hamby signed for $3.5 million for three years. The salary wasn't reported for their big free agent in Nneka Ogwumike. Either way, a trio of Plum, Hamby, and Ogwumike signals that the Sparks are ready to swing for a big playoff run.
Plum was the first pick taken in the 2017 WNBA Draft. She's averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 assists for her career. She has also won the Sixth Player of the Year award in 2021 and the All-Star Game MVP in 2022 to go along with two WNBA championships from her stint in Vegas.