Kelsey Plum is set to join the Los Angeles Sparks as part of a landmark three-way trade, which also sends Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces. This substantial deal involved multiple player and draft pick exchanges, fundamentally altering the dynamics of the teams involved. The Sparks traded the second overall pick in the upcoming draft and Li Yueru to the Seattle Storm. In return, they acquired the ninth pick and a second-round pick in 2026, while the Aces received the thirteenth pick.

Plum, who was crucial in leading the Aces to consecutive WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023, has been designated as the franchise player for Las Vegas. Last season, she boasted an impressive average of 17.8 points and 4.2 assists. Meanwhile, Loyd, a six-time All-Star, had requested a trade after a successful career spent entirely with Seattle, which began when she was drafted in 2015. Loyd averaged 19.7 points and 4.5 rebounds last season and has two championship titles to her name.

The trade, first reported by ESPN, also opens new opportunities for Las Vegas to strengthen its roster ahead of the upcoming season, with potential free agency moves on the horizon. With Plum moving to the Sparks, she reunites with Dearica Hamby and is poised to support a younger core comprising of players like Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink. Additionally, the trade brings Plum closer to her roots, as she hails from Poway, California.

As teams engage in discussions regarding free agency, the deadline for official signings is approaching on February 1. With significant movements like this, the landscape of women's basketball is evolving rapidly. For more details, read the article from AP News and The Guardian.