WNBA: Could a trade help the Storm escape their inconsistency?

The Seattle Storm might be the WNBA’s most appropriately named team.

Storms are unpredictable, inconsistent and difficult to forecast. During the 2025 season, that also has described the basketball team from Seattle. Although, at least in the month of July, the Storm were consistent in their inconsistency; after opening the month with two-straight wins, they subsequently alternated wins and losses.

The details behind those alternating results only further highlights the team’s unforecastable unpredictability. They beat the New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream on the road, only to lose to the Connecticut Sun. They did manage to beat the Sun on two other occasions, but lost to the Washington Mystics twice, both at home and on the road. They also took a home defeat to the Dallas Wings.

These inconsistent outcomes were their product of up-and-down play on both sides of the ball. While they closed out July by dropping 101 points on the Sun, they scored only 58 in their prior loss to the Mystics. Defensively, they held the Liberty to just 70 points when they won in Brooklyn, but allowed the Wings score 87 points and the Sun to put up 93 points in losses to both non-playoff teams.

August is also off to an inauspicious start for Seattle. On Friday, a Nneka Ogwumike masterclass—37 points and 12 boards—went for naught, as the Storm, after earning a 10-point advantage in the second half, lost in double overtime on a Dearica Hamby game-winner to the visiting Los Angeles Sparks, 108-106. The game elicited postgame frustrations from head coach Noelle Quinn, as she interpreted several questionable calls that favored LA as illustrative of a season-long “lack of respect” for both her players and herself.

The Storm’s vastly vacillating performances have them in sixth place in the WNBA standings at 16-12. If the playoffs started today, they would not have homecourt advantage in the first round. However, they have the same record as the fifth-place Indiana Fever, are just half a game behind the fourth-place Phoenix Mercury and only a game behind the third-place Dream. They’re going to make the playoffs. But, are they going to enter the postseason in a solid position to advance? Or, will they be fated for another disappointing early exit?

To encourage a promising postseason forecast, a trade is possibly in order. The franchise has not been hesitant to make moves of late, although the departed duo of Jewell Loyd and Li Yueru both requested trades. Seattle, however, has the resources required to make the kind of proactive move that could shift the team’s outlook.

They have three 2026 first-round draft picks, with their own selection supplemented by picks from the Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks that they received in the offseason Loyd-Kelsey Plum-No. 2 pick blockbuster. Although the impending expiration of the current CBA makes it impossible to predict the composition of the Storm’s 2026 roster, a Seattle team that maintains most of their veteran core is unlikely to roster three rookies. That makes a first-round pick (or two) potentially expendable. (Albeit, from another perspective, the forthcoming lack of clarity about next season could motivate the Seattle brass to hold onto those picks, as they could bring in three youngsters to complement a future-focused Dominique Malonga-centric Storm squad.)

So, how bold does Seattle want to be? Do they want to make a bid for one of the higher-salaried players speculated to be available, such as the Sun’s Marina Mabrey ($210,000) or the Wings’ DiJonai Carrington ($200,000)? Or, are they only comfortable making a more marginal move? Here’s a look at two options:

Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke and draft capital for Marina Mabrey or DiJonai Carrington

If Seattle has their eyes on Mabrey or Carrington, the primary outgoing player likely will have to be Alysha Clark. Somewhat curiously, Clark did not play in the Storm’s Friday night loss, with her absence explained as a “DNP—coach’s decision” rather than an injury. After a hot start to the season, Clark’s 3-point stroke, her signature skill, has seemed to disappear, as she shot just 18.8 percent from 3 in July while playing less than 15 minutes per game.

Seattle currently has just $223 in cap room, meaning they have to send out a player, or players, whose total salary nearly matches that of the incoming player. Clark makes $185,000, which, combined with Zia Cooke and her $66,079 salary, would be enough to import Mabrey or Carrington, depending on how many picks Connecticut or Dallas would demand.

Although streaky, Mabrey would provide Seattle with a high-upside scoring punch, just as she did for the Sun when she was traded in the middle of last season. Her unabashed 3-point bombing, in particular, would benefit a Storm team that does not take enough 3s. Carrington would offer more two-way juice as a determined defensive pest who would amplify Seattle’s already potent transition offense.

Katie Lou Samuelson, Zia Cookie and draft capital for Rachel Banham

If Seattle does not wish to part ways with Clark, a two-time champion with the Storm who, despite her advanced basketball age, could certainly escape her rut and rediscover her 3, they could use the injured Katie Lou Samuelson and her $90,000 salary as a trade chip.

A interesting name in that range? The Chicago Sky’s Rachel Banham, who makes $95,000. As our Zachary Draves has detailed, Banham has seized a more significant role for a Sky team that, because they traded away their own 2026 first-round pick, likely intends to continue to push for the playoffs, despite accumulating injuries to key players. However, the prospect of receiving some future picks, including an additional 2026 first rounder, could incentivize Chicago to part ways with Banham.

One could even argue that Banham has performed better than both Mabrey and Carrington this season, as both of those higher-profile players have dealt with injuries. Banham, in contrast, is arguably having the best season of her 10-year career, with her July numbers—14.3 points per game and 43.2 percent on 3s on 7.4 attempts per game—demonstrating her offensive upside. Her 3-point shooting and ball-handling abilities could provide the kind of boost Seattle needs, giving the team a third, high-caliber guard who can play alongside Skylar Diggins and Erica Wheeler.

Like the weather, the Storm’s issues might be atmospheric. Maybe, their extreme inconsistency is indicative of something just being off with this team, something that a single player cannot fix. Nevertheless, Seattle has enough assets to attempt to find a solution. Let’s see if they choose to do so.