The Western Conference is set to look a whole lot different when the 2025 WNBA season tips off.
The Seattle Storm are trading Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces, who will send Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks in a blockbuster three-team deal, ESPN's Shams Charania, Ramona Shelbourne, Alexa Philippou and Kendra Andrews reported Sunday.
Seattle will acquire the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft from Los Angeles and centre Li Yueru in the move. Meanwhile, the Sparks will receive the ninth pick from the Storm and the Aces will receive the 13th pick from L.A.
Additionally, Phillipou reported that Seattle will also receive the Aces' 2026 first-round pick and the Sparks will receive Seattle's 2026 second-round pick.
The dramatic trade was first mentioned by Chicago Sun-Times reporter Annie Costabile, who reported that the three-team move would be the first big domino to fall in free agency before teams start signing players.
Plum was set to hit free agency this off-season but was given a core qualifying offer by the Aces, allowing the team to get something in return for the three-time All-Star's services.
By giving a player a core qualifying offer, the team gets exclusive negotiating rights with the free agent in exchange for a one-year, guaranteed supermax contract, which is worth $249,244 for the 2025 season — similar to a franchise tag in the NFL.
The 30-year-old had a strong season for the Aces, averaging 17.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 42.3 per cent from the field and 36.8 per cent from three-point range. Plum helped the Aces win consecutive WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.
Following reports of the trade, Philippou reported that Plum is hoping to remain a member of the Sparks beyond the 2025 season. Because she was a cored player, only a trade would allow her to leave Las Vegas, and the guard had to sign off on a move to L.A. for the trade to be put through.
According to The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant, Plum had made indications that she wanted a fresh start with a new team and will get to do so for the rebuilding Sparks alongside 2024 second-overall pick Cameron Brink, fourth-overall pick Rickea Jackson and former Aces teammate Dearica Hamby.
Loyd, meanwhile, requested a trade from the Storm in December, according to ESPN's Philippou. The request came after the Storm announced that an external investigation into accusations of harassment and bullying by the team's coaching staff had concluded without any violations being found.
The six-time All-Star has spent the entirety of her 10-year career in Seattle since being drafted first overall in 2015.
She continued to put up All-Star calibre numbers last season, averaging 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists, but struggled with efficiency, shooting a career-worst 36.0 per cent from the field and 27.4 per cent from three-point range.
In 2025, Loyd will be in year two of a two-year, $491,016 supermax extension and will be the highest-paid player on the Aces roster.
Yueru, 25, is being traded for the fourth time in her WNBA career since being drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2019. The six-foot-seven Chinese centre averaged 5.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 14.4 minutes per game with the Sparks last season.
Teams could start talking to free agents this past Tuesday, but can’t officially sign them until Feb. 1.
