Kelsey Plum traded from Los Angeles Sparks to Phoenix Mercury before deadline

The Los Angeles Sparks traded five-time All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury late Saturday night. In return, Phoenix sent forward Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. The transaction was completed just before the league’s Sunday trade deadline.

Plum, a two-time WNBA champion, has been sidelined since June 21 with a lower-leg injury. She was expected to return on a limited-minutes basis against the Portland Fire, though her availability for Phoenix’s upcoming game against the Chicago Sky remains uncertain.

Before the injury, the 31-year-old was averaging career-high 23.9 points and 6.4 assists over 12 games and led the league in scoring earlier in the season. Plum’s tenure with Los Angeles lasted a season and a half; the Sparks acquired her before the 2025 season in exchange for the No. 2 overall draft pick, hoping she would accelerate a rebuild centered on young players Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. The team missed the playoffs in 2025 and currently sits 10-17 after a six-game losing streak.

The Sparks also dismissed general manager Raegan Pebley in July, leaving assistant GM Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen to manage operations on an interim basis. Plum was set to become a free agent after the season and had reportedly indicated she would not re-sign with Los Angeles, drawing interest from the New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream.

Phoenix, at 11-19, remains six games behind the eighth-place Liberty for the final playoff spot. The addition of Plum gives the Mercury a proven scorer and secondary playmaker, potentially easing the offensive load on current leader Alyssa Thomas, who averages 8.3 assists per game. This trade marks only the fourth in-season All-Star move in WNBA history.