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A PAIR OF BLOCKBUSTER TRADES IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS WILL HAVE THE WNBA LOOKING VERY DIFFERENT THIS SUMMER. THREE OF THE BIGGEST STARS IN THE LEAGUE ARE ON THE MOVE AND THIS MAY BE ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE UPHEAVAL.
THE FIRST DEAL WENT DOWN MONDAY INVOLVING ALL-STAR GUARDS KELSEY PLUM AND JEWEL LOYD. BOTH HAVE WON MULTIPLE WNBA CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THEY WERE ALSO TEAMMATES ON THE US OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNING SQUAD.
LOYD, THE 2023 LEAGUE SCORING CHAMP, REQUESTED A TRADE OUT OF SEATTLE AFTER 10 SEASONS WITH THE TEAM. SHE IS HEADING TO LAS VEGAS. LAST WEEK, PERHAPS IN ANTICIPATION OF A DEAL, LOYD TALKED ABOUT HER STATE OF MIND WHILE PLAYING IN THE NEW 3-ON-3 UNRIVALED BASKETBALL LEAGUE.
“HONESTLY, I’M JUST GETTING BACK TO ME. I’M GETTING BACK TO PEACE AND GETTING BACK TO FINDING A JOY IN BASKETBALL AND SO UH THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING IN MY MIND IS GO PLAY HARD.”
PLUM, WHO COULDN’T AGREE ON A CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH VEGAS, WILL TAKE HER TWO CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS AND 18 POINTS PER GAME AVERAGE TO THE LOS ANGELES SPARKS.THE THIRD TEAM IN THE DEAL, THE SEATTLE STORM WILL GET A PAIR OF FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS, INCLUDING THE #2 PICK IN THIS APRIL’S DRAFT.
TUESDAY, THE SECOND BLOCKBUSTER DEAL WENT DOWN AS THE CONNECTICUT SUN SENT 5-TIME ALL-STAR ALYSSA THOMAS TO THE PHOENIX MERCURY. THOMAS, ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY, LED THE SUN TO THE WNBA FINALS IN 2019 AND 2022. SHE’S FINISHED TOP FIVE IN LEAGUE MVP VOTING EACH OF THE LAST THREE SEASONS.PHOENIX SENT A PAIR OF PLAYERS AND A FIRST ROUND PICK BACK TO CONNECTICUT IN THE DEAL.
THESE TRADES STARTED THE SHAKE UP, BUT THINGS MIGHT REALLY GET INTERESTING ON SATURDAY WHEN FREE AGENCY BEGINS. PLAYERS LIKE BRITTNEY GRINER, SATOU SABALLY, BRIONNA JONES AND NNEKA OGWUMIKE COULD BE ON THE MOVE.FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS.
