A’ja Wilson Gets Honest About Kelsey Plum’s Departure From Aces to Sparks

One of the biggest moves of the past WNBA offseason was the three-team trade that took place between the Las Vegas Aces, the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Seattle Storm at the end of January.

In this deal, the Aces traded two-time WNBA champion and three-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Sparks, the Sparks sent the rights to the No. 2 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft (which ended up being used on Dominique Malonga) to the Storm, and the Storm sent two-time WNBA champion and 2023 WNBA scoring champion Jewell Loyd to the Aces.

Las Vegas trading Kelsey Plum was shocking to some, if only because she has been such an integral part of the team’s identity and consecutive WNBA championship-winning seasons. However, it seemed like Plum wanted a change of scenery, and the Aces’ front office obliged.

This means that reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson will be playing a season without Plum for the first time in her WNBA career. And when speaking with the media on April 30, Wilson spoke out about Plum’s departure.

“I mean, I processed it just like anyone else. It is what it is,” Wilson said, per an X post from KTNV reporter Taylor Rocha. “It’s a business. People wanna work on their brand, new journeys, new stories. And I love that for her, and I’m glad that she’s in a space that she’s happy, healthy, and thriving in that.

“But at the end of the day, I can’t worry really about that anymore. I’ve got to worry about what’s in this locker room and what we have going on,” she continued.

The Sparks and Aces face off for the first time in 2025 on May 30, in Las Vegas.