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On Sunday night, the WNBA’s free agency period began with a blockbuster bang, with Jewell Loyd heading to the Las Vegas Aces and Kelsey Plum joining the Los Angeles Sparks.
The moving pieces in the league-shifting deal are:
Seattle Storm
Sending out: Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas Aces; No. 9 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft and 2026 second-round draft pick to Los Angles Sparks
Receiving: No. 2 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft and Li Yueru from Los Angeles Sparks; 2026 first-round draft pick from Las Vegas Aces
Las Vegas Aces
Sending out: Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles Sparks; 2026 first-round draft pick to Seattle Storm
Receiving: Jewell Loyd from Seattle Storm; No. 13 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft from Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
Sending out: No. 2 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft and Li Yueru to Seattle Storm; No. 13 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft to Las Vegas Aces
Receiving: Kelsey Plum from Las Vegas Aces; No. 9 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft and 2026 second-round draft pick from Seattle Storm
Loyd, who had requested a trade from the Storm in December following an investigation into alleged mistreatment by the Seattle coaching staff, gets to her preferred destination in Vegas. Having signed an extension with the Storm at the end of the 2023 WNBA season, she has one year remaining on her contract.
Plum, an unrestricted free agent who was cored by the Aces, had not formally requested a trade, but, in not signing an extension with Vegas, had signaled her interest in joining a new franchise. The Southern California native will sign off on the trade to Los Angeles and, following the one-year deal she will sign for the 2025 season, has expressed an intent to stay in LA long term, according to ESPN. Sources also indicated to ESPN that the uncertainty at the top of the 2025 WNBA Draft made the Los Angeles comfortable with relinquishing the No. 2 overall pick.
Sources told ESPN the Sparks were ultimately uncertain about who would even be available to be drafted No. 2 overall. Combined with the hope of bringing Plum in for multiple years, that made it more palatable to give up the lottery pick. https://t.co/ZN47Hb0cst
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) January 27, 2025
The deal—which will be the first time two former No. 1 picks have been included in a single trade in league history (Loyd, 2015; Plum, 2017)—will not be official until Feb. 1 because it involves a sign-and-trade for Plum.
Be sure to keep up with subsequent free agency news from around the W here.
