Kelsey Plum traded to Sparks, Aces land Jewell Loyd in blockbuster three-team trade with Storm, per report

The Kelsey Plum period in Las Vegas is over. The Aces dealt Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday in a blockbuster three-team commerce sending six-time WNBA All-Star choice Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas and the No. 2 choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft to the Seattle Storm, in accordance with ESPN. Li Yueru, a 6-foot-7 heart, additionally heads to Seattle within the deal. 

Plum, the Aces’ No. 1 general choose in 2017, has been as wonderful as initially marketed over her seven seasons with the franchise. The 30-year-old guard has made three All-Star groups, was named to the All-WNBA staff in 2022, and helped Las Vegas win back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. 

Issues did not go as easily for Plum and the Aces in 2024, as her discipline objective and 3-point percentages dipped from the 12 months prior whereas Las Vegas fell to the eventual champion New York Liberty, 3-1, within the WNBA Playoffs semifinals. 

Las Vegas will get a reset on the guard place in Loyd, who has a bit extra measurement at 5-foot-11 in comparison with Plum at 5-foot-8. Loyd, 31, had spent her complete profession in Seattle, profitable Rookie of the 12 months in 2015 earlier than main the Storm to 2 WNBA championships. 

After parting methods with Curt Miller and changing him with longtime College of Utah coach Lynne Roberts in November, the Sparks are making a win-now transfer with this deal. Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson each completely impressed as rookies final season and are anticipated to take a leap, although the previous is coming off a torn ACL. 

Dearica Hamby was the Sparks’ nice shock amid a down 2024, as she set profession highs in factors (17.3), rebounds (9.2) and steals (1.7). Plum’s exterior taking pictures means ought to assist house the ground for these three and unlock a better degree for the Los Angeles offense. 

The Storm, in the meantime, will choose second in what tasks to be an interesting 2025 WNBA Draft. UConn’s Paige Bueckers, LSU’s Aneesah Morrow and USC’s Kiki Iriafen are all in play for Seattle with that choice.