Storm acquire former first-round pick in deal with Sparks

The Seattle Storm continued their busy offseason with another trade involving the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night.

The Storm acquired guard Lexie Brown and the Sparks’ 2025 third-round pick in exchange for Seattle’s 2025 and 2027 second-round picks.

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“Lexie is a prolific shooter and all-around great player that bolsters our backcourt,” Storm general manager Talisa Rhea said in a statement. “Her tenacity to make plays on both sides of the ball and ability to stretch the defense with tremendous range are great additions to our roster and we are thrilled to welcome her to Seattle.” 

Brown, a seven-year WNBA veteran, has missed most of the past two seasons battling illnesses. She missed 28 games in 2023 with a bacterial infection and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after the season. Brown returned to action in 2024, but was ruled out indefinitely due to Crohn’s disease in June after just 16 games played. She averaged 8.1 points, 3.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game last season.

In 151 career games with the Sparks, Chicago Sky, Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun, the former first-round pick is averaging 6.3 points, 1.8 assists and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 38.9% from the field, 35.7% from 3-point range and 80.5% from the free-throw line.

Brown spent her first two college seasons at Maryland and her final two at Duke. She was a third-team AP All-American in each of her final three seasons.

The deal comes nearly three weeks after Seattle and Los Angeles were part of a blockbuster three-team trade that sent Storm star Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces and and Aces star and former UW Huskies standout Kelsey Plum to the Sparks. The Storm received the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft and forward Li Yueru from Los Angeles, as well as Las Vegas’ 2026 first-rounder.

The Storm now hold the No. 2 overall pick and three third-rounders (Nos. 26, 29 and 34) in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

More on the Seattle Storm

• Sue Bird, Mark Few named finalists for 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame class
• Seattle Storm, 9-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike agree to 1-year deal

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