Sparks deal Kelsey Plum to Mercury ahead of WNBA trade deadline

The Los Angeles Sparks reached an agreement on a Kelsey Plum trade in the late night hours before the WNBA’s trade deadline on Sunday afternoon, as per Shams Charania of ESPN. Plum will head to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first round pick and a 2028 second round pick.

Kelsey Plum had been mentioned in trade rumors all week amid reports that she did not intend to re-sign with the Sparks in the offseason, and alongside rumors that the organization had a high asking price for potential suitors. In the end, the Sparks now have two first round picks, their own and the Mercury’s in what’s expected to be another solid draft class.

Plum had recently made her return to Sparks practice where she disclosed that she intended to play in the team’s upcoming game against the Portland Fire on Sunday albeit off the bench and on a minutes restriction. She had missed 12 of the team’s last 13 games, including 11 consecutive, as she rehabbed from a lower leg injury. Plum had missed a total of 15 games this season in which the Sparks went 3-12. They had a 7-5 record with her in the lineup.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, Plum was in her second season with the Sparks. She was initially acquired in a sign-and-trade during the 2025 offseason in a deal that involved the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces and cost the Sparks the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft. That pick ended up being Dominque Malonga who was just selected to her first All-Star appearance.

Plum was the first of several moves the Sparks had made with an emphasis on competing now over player development and organic growth. However, the team was mired an another disappointing season amid Plum’s injury, and they are currently 10-17 and in 11th place in the league standings.

The two-time WNBA champion’s departure was the second of two radical changes the organization has made this season, the first being parting ways with general manager Raegan Pebley earlier this month.

Prior to the injury, Plum had been leading the league in scoring and was putting up a career year. To date, she’s averaging 23.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 52.7 percent shooting from the field, 38.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 80.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

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