Lynne Roberts reveals Sparks’ determined mindset amid pending Kelsey Plum trade

The Los Angeles Sparks agreed in principle to a trade late Saturday night that will send All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first round pick and a 2028 second round pick. The trade has not yet been made official via the WNBA’s front office, and thus, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts was unable to speak directly about the deal ahead of the team’s game against the Portland Fire.

However, Roberts did address the team’s current mentality amid the Kelsey Plum trade rumors that have grown louder throughout the week. With 17 games remaining in the regular season, there isn’t a single person in the team’s locker room that’s ready to give up on this year.

“They’re pros, they get it. We chatted this morning as a group and they’re just kind of in the mode of pick your lunch pail up, put your hard hat on, let’s go. That’s where they’re at. There was not a big reaction or there was no sense of panic or freakout or anything like that,” Roberts said during her pregame press conference. “I think it’s partly because of the group we’ve had. This is the group that’s been lacing them up and putting themselves out there and emptying the tank for each other and for this org.

“And nothing changes in that regard. So I have not sensed at all any sort of locker room malaise or anything like that. They’re ready to roll and we’re desperate to get a win.”

The Plum trade chatter had intensified this past week amid a report that she did not intend to re-sign with the Sparks in the offseason. Last offseason, she re-signed on a one-year contract worth slightly less than the WNBA’s new max salary. Plum was initially acquired via sign-and-trade ahead of the 2025 season, in a deal that cost the Sparks a lottery pick in that year’s draft.

The two-time WNBA champion had battled a leg injury in recent weeks, and had missed the last 11 games for the Sparks, and 12 of the last 13. She had returned to practice this past Thursday where she announced her intentions to play during the team’s game against the Fire, albeit on a minutes restriction and off the bench.

Roberts acknowledged that Plum was not present with the team Sunday morning ahead of the Fire game, and she spoke about the relationship she had cultivated with the former No. 1 overall pick across the past two seasons.

“I love KP, I do. I always will. I think she’s a Ferrari in every sense of the word and just a fierce competitor,” Roberts said. “I care about her, we had a good rapport and had a lot of fun with her.”

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