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The biggest name available before the WNBA trade deadline is officially on the move. The Los Angeles Sparks are trading five-time All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Kendra Andrews. Los Angeles will receive guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick in the deal.
The trade was completed late Saturday night, just hours before Sunday afternoon’s deadline. According to ESPN, Plum becomes only the fourth All-Star in WNBA history to be traded during a season. Plum has not played since June 21 because of a lower left leg injury, but she had returned to practice and was expected to be available for the Sparks’ game against the Portland Fire on Sunday. It remains unclear whether she will be ready to make her Mercury debut Monday against the Chicago Sky.
When healthy, Plum gives Phoenix one of the league’s most dangerous offensive guards. She is averaging career highs of 23.9 points and 6.4 assists through 12 games this season.
Here are the early grades for the blockbuster trade.
Mercury trade grade: B
Phoenix is taking a major swing despite facing a difficult path to the playoffs. The Mercury entered Sunday with an 11-19 record, six games behind the New York Liberty for the eighth and final postseason spot. Adding Plum does not guarantee Phoenix will close that gap, especially with only a limited portion of the regular season remaining.
It does, however, make the Mercury significantly more dangerous. Plum joins an experienced core featuring Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner. She should provide the perimeter scoring, shooting and playmaking Phoenix needs after reaching the WNBA Finals last season.
The two-time WNBA champion has also demonstrated that she can thrive alongside other stars. Plum helped the Las Vegas Aces win consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023 before being traded to Los Angeles ahead of the 2025 season. Phoenix did not acquire Plum merely to improve its regular-season record. The Mercury are betting that their veteran roster can reach the postseason and become a matchup no contender wants to see in the opening round.
The cost is substantial for a team sitting 12th in the standings. First-round picks carry increased value as the WNBA continues to add talent and expand, while Akoa Makani is a promising young guard. Plum’s contract situation also creates long-term uncertainty. Still, Phoenix needed an offensive difference-maker, and no player available at the deadline offered more immediate upside than Plum.
Sparks trade grade: B+
Trading Plum signals another change in direction for a Sparks organization that has struggled to establish a clear plan. Los Angeles acquired Plum before the 2025 season in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick, hoping she could accelerate a rebuild centered around Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. The Sparks then made another aggressive move this past offseason, trading Jackson as part of a deal for veteran guard Ariel Atkins.
Those moves have not produced a playoff contender. Los Angeles entered Sunday at 10-17 after losing six consecutive games. The Sparks have gone 2-9 during Plum’s current absence and are in danger of missing the postseason for the sixth straight year. Plum also signed only a one-year deal worth $999,999 to return to Los Angeles during the offseason. The Athletic reported that she was not interested in re-signing with the Sparks, leaving the team at risk of losing its leading scorer without receiving anything in return.
Considering those circumstances, Los Angeles did well to acquire a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a young player.
Akoa Makani gives the Sparks another developmental option in the backcourt. The 24-year-old guard entered the league as a third-round selection by Phoenix in the 2025 WNBA Draft after playing professionally in France. The 2027 first-rounder is the centerpiece of the return. Its eventual value will depend on Phoenix’s record and any protections attached to the selection, but it gives Los Angeles another important asset as the franchise reevaluates its roster.
The trade does not fix the Sparks’ larger problems. General manager Raegan Pebley was fired in July, and interim assistant GMs Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen are now responsible for determining the organization’s direction. At least Los Angeles avoided compounding its mistakes by keeping Plum through the deadline and potentially losing her for nothing.
MORE: Sky rookie Sydney Taylor stuns Aces with game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer
Why the trade is a gamble for both teams
The deal carries considerable risk on each side. Phoenix is surrendering future assets for a 31-year-old guard who has appeared in only 12 games this season. Even if Plum returns immediately, the Mercury have significant ground to make up in the standings.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is moving on from a player it acquired less than two years ago to help lead the franchise back into contention. The Sparks are once again collecting future assets without a clearly established timeline for returning to the playoffs.
Plum is the unquestioned winner. She leaves a team on a six-game losing streak for a veteran Mercury roster willing to make an aggressive push.
If Phoenix can reach the postseason, Plum’s scoring ability and championship experience could make the Mercury far more dangerous than their record suggests. If the rally falls short, the franchise may regret sacrificing a first-round pick for such a narrow window.
For now, the WNBA’s biggest deadline move has given both teams something they needed: The Mercury have another star, while the Sparks have a chance to start over again.
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