Stars in the WNBA donโt get traded often. But on Tuesday, The Athleticโs Annie Costabile reported a โsense from sources around the leagueโ that Kelsey Plum is planning on leaving Los Angeles in free agency this winter. Then, Marisa Ingemi of Valkyries Beat added Wednesday that the Sparks intend to trade her by Sunday’s trade deadline.
Due to the rarity of these kinds of trades, especially in-season, itโs hard to project how different teams will value the tradeoff of bringing in unquestionably one of the leagueโs very best offensive players, versus only being guaranteed a couple months of her play.
With that in mind, we decided to convene some of our beat writers whose teams could be interested in acquiring the five-time All-Star. (Editorโs note: these are not trade offers we are reporting as on the table.) For teams who had the assets to make a legitimate trade offer,1 our beats were asked to think of packages they could see their team making, given their understanding of how those teams are feeling about their current roster and competitive windows. As the only outlet with beats in every WNBA market, The IX Sports is uniquely able to have dedicated reporters evaluate the possibilities in each market for how the trade deadline will play out.
Atlanta Dream
Kelsey Plum and Rae Burrell for Jordin Canada, Te-Hina Paopao, Aaliyah Nye, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick
From Michael Waterloo:
Acquiring just Kelsey Plum on her own as a half-season rental wouldnโt move the needle for the Dream, who have prioritized familiarity in Karl Smesko’s complex system by bringing back their top five players from a season ago and bringing in Angel Reese for a title run. But bringing in Plum and a much-needed bench wing player in Rae Burrell would pique the interest of Smesko and general manager Dan Padover. Plum would give Atlanta the much-needed bucket-getter that the offense has lacked of late. She is able to get downhill, hit shots from deep and find the cutter in the spaced out offensive scheme that Smesko requires. As for Burrell, she’ll be a restricted free agent after this season, so the Dream will be able to match any offer for her. With Plumโs contract off the books in this hypothetical situation, that would free up enough cap space to retain her, as well as open up the possibility for an early extension for Angel Reese.
Why would the Sparks do this? Will the Sparks, who will look new next year in almost every sense, retain Burrell, even as a restricted free agent? By pursuing this package, the Sparks would get a floor general in Canada, a Los Angeles native who has had success with the Sparks in the past, as well as two young players and sharpshooters in Aaliyah Nye and Te-Hina Paopao on rookie contracts. The Dream love Paopao, but she hasnโt progressed as much defensively or as a ball-hander as they have hoped for in Year 2. She could have the time and role to be able to figure it out in Los Angeles, in a bigger role than she has had with Atlanta behind the veterans. The Dream traded their first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 to the Sky in exchange for Reese, as well as the rights to swap second-round picks in 2028. That leaves a second-rounder in 2027 and a third-round pick as a cherry on top in 2028 to get this deal done.
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Golden State Valkyries
Kelsey Plum for Justฤ Jocytฤ, Kayla Thornton and a 2027 first-round pick
From Marisa Ingemiโs Valkyries Beat newsletter:
Plum will be the biggest name on the speculation market with the Sparks plummeting out of the playoff race, and the Valkyries seem like a good fit. They could make the move to take on Plumโs salary on an expiring deal by moving Thornton, they havenโt hesitated from moving their draft picks in the past, and head coach Natalie Nakase worked with Plum in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles would be giving up on their vision of contending soon with that move, so Jocytฤ as a young piece to build around and a first-rounder seem like enough. It would come down to how the Valkyries would see Plum fit in their offense. She is a get-the-ball-to-me type of player who will take a ton of shots and score a lot, but Golden State has never wanted to build around a โstarโ like that, especially one without defensive prowess.
But an offensive unit of, say, Veronica Burton, Kelsey Plum, Gabby Williams and Janelle Salaรผn to work with Kiah Stokes as a center sounds a lot more dangerous than the scoring they have right now.
An alternate trade route could be Jocytฤ, Tiffany Hayes, Nadia Fingall and a first-rounder, too. The point is moving the expiring contract and then itโs a matter of how theyโd want to fill a roster spot if Fingall were on the way out.
Minnesota Lynx
No offer
From Terry Horstman:
The mental gymnastics it has taken me to find a way for the Lynx and Sparks to be trade partners here have reached a point where Iโm at risk of pulling a physical muscle and I need to lie down. Thatโs enough for me to all but omit Minnesota from the Kelsey Plum sweepstakes.
Even if there was a magic wand to wave and make the salaries work, I just donโt see a trade package of assets the Sparks would want that the Lynx are willing to part with. Nia Coffeyโs team-friendly contract would almost have to be involved, but she doesnโt exactly fit the timeline of what Los Angeles should be looking to acquire. Are the Lynx willing to put together a package around promising 21-year-old Anastasiia Kosu and multiple first-round picks? Are the Sparks even willing to pick up the phone for a package like that?
PR optics should never govern decision-making around trades, especially entering a rebuild, but the Sparks got Plum for the pick that became Dominique Malonga. Theyโll be looking for at least some name recognition in return and I just donโt see it coming from the Lynx.
Washington Mystics
No offer
From Jenn Hatfield:
Although Washington has plenty of cap space to absorb a contract like Plumโs, trading for her doesnโt align with how the team has approached the 2026 season. The Mystics are in the middle of a patient rebuild, and theyโve been fully committed to building around young players and giving them consequential game minutes and reps to help them develop. Thatโs been their biggest goal this season, not making the playoffs, even though theyโre currently in playoff position with a 15-12 record.
Acquiring the 31-year-old Plum would take some minutes and reps away from younger players such as Sonia Citron, Cotie McMahon and Georgia Amoore. It would also likely require the Mystics to give up some young talent and/or draft capital in return, which they have not seemed open to doing.
Washington is quite low on experience as the second-youngest team in WNBA history, but head coach Sydney Johnson has been extremely pleased with his two veterans, 26-year-olds Michaela Onyenwere and Shakira Austin. And if the front office wanted to add more experience, itโs had plenty of opportunities to do so, whether in free agency or with in-season trades. With either route, the Mystics couldโve gotten another veteran for a much cheaper price than Plum will command.
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There are a few other teams that could offer competitive trade packages, too. Seattle could offer one of Flauโjae Johnson or its 2027 first-rounder as the centerpiece if it felt that a core of Plum, Dominique Malonga and Awa Fam was enough to contend. Dallas owns two of what are likely the most underwater contracts in the WNBA between Alanna Smith and Arike Ogunbowale, though the franchiseโs historical behavior suggests it values the latter higher than most. Additionally, the NaLyssa Smith trade from last year means the Wings have two projected late-first-round picks to package alongside one of Smith and Ogunbowale, plus Aziaha James for a very competitive offer. Phoenix could also take any player on a full-season contract with at least its 2027 and 2028 first-round picks to go all-in on the end of Alyssa Thomasโ prime.
- Chicago does not have the assets, and Connecticut and Portland donโt appear to have the assets to offer a worthwhile trade without compromising their teamsโ outlooks. Toronto has previously engaged Los Angeles in trade talks to no avail. New York cannot make an offer without offering up one of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu or Satou Sabally, which seems unlikely to say the least, as does a return to Vegas. โฉ๏ธ
