Sparks trade Kelsey Plum to Mercury in late-night WNBA deal
The biggest basketball story from the last 48 hours is the Los Angeles Sparks’ trade of five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury. The deal gives Phoenix a marquee guard and sends Los Angeles a package built around Monique Akoa Makani and future draft picks.
Sparks send Kelsey Plum to Mercury in late-night WNBA trade
The Los Angeles Sparks traded five-time All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury ahead of Sunday’s trade deadline, making this one of the biggest basketball moves reported in the last 48 hours. ESPN reported that the return to Los Angeles includes guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
The move is notable because it involves one of the league’s most recognizable guards and arrives just before the deadline, giving Phoenix a major roster swing while the Sparks add future draft capital. Reuters also reported the deal as a major late-week development in the WNBA transaction market.
Elsewhere in the same Reuters roundup, the WNBA saw more front-office movement, including the Toronto Tempo acquiring power forward Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun for a 2028 second-round pick and the rights to veteran forward Maria Kliundikova. Reuters also noted that the Warriors were bringing back reserve Gary Payton II, but the Plum deal stood out as the clearest headline move in the current basket of news.