Kelsey Plum-Jewell Loyd 3 team trade sending 2-time Aces champion to Sparks: Full details

Los Angeles Sparks nets Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum in exchange for two 1st round picks in the WNBA 2025 Draft.

Kelsey Plum-Jewell Loyd 3 team trade sending 2-time Aces champion to Sparks: Full details

Kelsey Plus and Jewell Loyd join new teams after blockbuster 3-team trade

Towards the end of the 2024 WNBA season, one of the most anticipated questions everyone had was how teams would attack free agency. Some prime stars such as Kelsey Plum were expected to be retained by the Las Vegas Aces.

After all she won two WNBA championships with them and was part of their core starting five. The logic was reinforced when the organization tagged with the ‘core’ status, suggesting they would retain exclusive negotiation rights.

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A while before she was assigned the ‘core’ tag, Jewell Loyd handed in a trade request to the Seattle Storm. This was after her complaint about workplace harassment led to a third-party investigation. Once the investigation turned out empty, she stated her desire to leave.

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The most obvious question was which team would take her second highest in the league contract. But knowing Jewell Loyd’s friendship with top players in the league, it all came about as Shams Charania wrote this on X.

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.

Shams Charania wrote

To facilitate this deal, teams exchanged 2025 WNBA Draft picks. The Los Angeles Sparks sent their No. 2 overall pick along with backup center Li Yueru to the Storm. The Sparks also sent their No. 13th pick to the Aces while they get the Storm’s No. 9 pick in return.

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On paper, the Las Vegas Aces seemed to have won the trade as they now have two of the highest scorers of the past two season’s along with a first-round pick which they do not have of their own. The league stripped them off their own pick after the Dearica Hamby controversy.

Now, Kelsey Plum joins Dearica Hamby as teammates again. The 30-year-old is fully aware of how things materialized with her former championship winning teammate and head coach Becky Hammon. Hammon could also be a catalyst to Plum wanting to leave and join the Los Angeles Sparks.

During their humiliating semi-finals exit at the hands of the New York Liberty, cameras picked up head coach Becky Hammon yelling non-stop at Plum. It seemed as if she single-handedly blamed the three-time All-Star for their inability to stop the Liberty.

Those inside details would not be available but Kelsey Plum now gets to become the leading superstar on a team. Dearica Hamby is the bonafide All-Star, but Plum has a bigger draw as a superstar. She and Hamby will now be able to lead a young promising team.

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The Los Angeles Sparks will have Cameron Brink back from injury. Along with Rickea Jackson, the team now have a solid core at their disposal. They will look at adding a complimentary piece with that No. 9 pick as they now have two championship winning leaders to steer them to the playoffs.