SEATTLE STORM

Report: Storm deal Loyd in blockbuster 3-team trade

Jan 26, 2025, 6:40 PM | Updated: 11:35 pm

The Seattle Storm are trading six-time All-Star guard Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces as part of a three-team deal that sends former UW Huskies great Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, according a social media post from ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday night.

According to ESPN, the Storm will receive the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and forward Li Yueru from Los Angeles. The Storm also will receive Las Vegas’ 2026 first-round pick.

As part of the deal, the Storm will send their 2025 No. 9 overall pick and a 2026 second-round pick to Los Angeles. The Sparks also will send their 2025 No. 13 overall pick to Las Vegas.

It’s the first trade in WNBA history to involve multiple No. 1 overall picks, according to ESPN. Loyd was drafted No. 1 overall by the Storm in 2015. Plum was the 2017 No. 1 overall pick by the San Antonio Stars, who relocated to Las Vegas one year later.

In early December, it was reported by multiple outlets that Loyd requested to be traded from the Storm. Loyd’s request came hours after the Storm completed an investigation into internal allegations of workplace policy violations by the coaching staff, according to The Associated Press. The trade request and investigation was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Loyd is from Chicago.

The trade ends Loyd’s decorated 10-year run with the Storm, which included a pair of WNBA titles in 2018 and 2020. She was the WNBA’s leading scorer in 2023 and ranks third on the Storm’s all-time career scoring list, trailing only Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson.

Plum, a three-time WNBA All-Star, had a legendary career at UW from 2014 to 2017. She finished her college career with 3,527 points, which stood as an NCAA record until it was broken by former Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark last season. Plum’s jersey was retired by UW just eight days ago, which made her the first women’s basketball player in program history to receive that honor.

Plum helped the Aces win back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023. Earlier this month, the Aces put a core designation on Plum, who was an impending free agent. That fueled rumors that she could be traded before the upcoming season.

Plum adds a veteran guard to the Sparks’ young core of Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink, while also reuniting her with former Aces teammate Dearica Hamby. It also brings Plum closer to her hometown of Poway, California.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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