The Kelsey Plum era in Los Angeles is over. The Sparks agreed to trade the five-time All-Star guard to the Phoenix Mercury late Saturday night, sending her out west in exchange for guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick, according to ESPN and Reuters. The deal, completed just hours ahead of Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, ends a stint that lasted barely a season and a half and reshapes the Mercury’s backcourt for a playoff push.
Plum arrived in Los Angeles before the 2025 season in a blockbuster the Sparks hoped would jumpstart a rebuild, sending out the No. 2 overall pick in that year’s draft — which became All-Star center Dominique Malonga — to acquire her from Las Vegas. It never quite clicked the way Los Angeles envisioned. The Sparks are 10-17 this season, sitting 5.5 games out of a playoff spot and staring down a sixth consecutive year without postseason basketball, prompting the front office to pivot toward the future rather than chase a fading long shot.
A Career Year Cut Short
Before injury sidelined her, Plum was in the middle of arguably her best statistical season, averaging 23.9 points, 6.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting an efficient 52.7 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three. She sat second in the league in scoring at the time. But a lower left leg injury suffered on June 24 has kept her sidelined ever since — she last played June 21 — costing her a fifth straight All-Star selection and derailing the Sparks’ season in her absence. Los Angeles went just 2-8 over an eight-game stretch without her on the floor.
The 31-year-old, who turns 32 on August 24, is a two-time WNBA champion and former Sixth Player of the Year who has averaged 15.5 points and 4.4 assists across 290 career regular-season games between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. She entered the weekend slated to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and had already signaled she wasn’t committing to a return to the Sparks, telling reporters Thursday, “The thing about professional sports is, it’s business. At the end of the day, people have to do what’s best for them, and I respect that. And I’m not taking anything personal. For me, I’m gonna be where my feet are.” With her impending free agency looming and the Sparks fading from contention, dealing her now rather than risking losing her for nothing this winter became the more logical path.
What Phoenix and Los Angeles Get
The Mercury land arguably the top rental available on the trade market, betting that a healthy Plum can bolster a roster already built for a playoff run. In return, Los Angeles adds Makani, a 25-year-old guard in her second WNBA season who is averaging 9.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals across 18 games (15 starts) with Phoenix this year, along with future draft capital in the form of a 2027 first-rounder and a 2028 second-rounder. The Sparks retain multiple years of team control over Makani, who is under contract at the league minimum next season before hitting restricted free agency.
For Los Angeles, the return signals a clear organizational shift toward accumulating young talent and draft equity rather than chasing a playoff spot that’s mathematically slipping away. Reports indicate the Sparks could continue shopping other established veterans — including Nneka Ogwumike, Dearica Hamby, Erica Wheeler and Ariel Atkins — before Sunday’s deadline closes, suggesting this trade may be the first domino rather than the last. Fans tracking roster movement and betting markets around the rest of the WNBA season can follow along with the latest live NBA odds coverage as contenders continue reshaping their rosters heading into the stretch run.
What’s Next for Plum
Plum’s health remains the biggest question mark. She hasn’t played since June 21, though she had been targeting a return as early as Sunday’s game against Portland before the trade was finalized. Once healthy, she slots into a Mercury backcourt looking to make a serious postseason statement, and how quickly she integrates could determine whether Phoenix’s aggressive move pays off before the calendar turns to the playoffs. Her expiring contract also means this is very much a rental for now — Plum will hit unrestricted free agency after the season, leaving her long-term home for 2027 and beyond still very much unresolved.
