Mercury projected lineup with with Kelsey Plum: How newly acquired star fits with Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas

While many WNBA fans missed when Kelsey Plum was traded to the Phoenix Mercury, the news sent the league into a frenzy after the 2025 WNBA Finals participant landed one of the league's best all-around guards.

According to Shams Charania and Kendra Andrew, Plum will be heading to Phoenix on her own in exchange for 25-year-old guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round selection. The scoring and passing talent instantly gives the Mercury one of the league's best offensive pieces.

How much time the team has to recover from five games back of the No. 8 spot in the playoffs, however, may become a defining point of Plum's career.

Here's how the star guard will fit on her new squad that is vying for a late-season surge into the playoffs.

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Mercury roster with Kelsey Plum

Plum, a five-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion, joins a Mercury squad that sits five games back of the New York Liberty for the final playoff spot. Nate Tibbetts' team will be in a race against the clock to mesh and make a late-season push into the playoffs.

Phoenix has historically been one of the league's more successful teams. In the last 10 seasons, the Mercury have made the playoffs nine times, along with winning three WNBA championships since the franchise's inception in 1997.

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Mercury projected starting five

• G Kelsey Plum
• G Kahleah Copper
• F Noemie Brochant
• F DeWanna Bonner
• F Alyssa Thomas

On paper, the combination of Plum, Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas may be one of the best "Big Threes" in the WNBA. Between the trio, they are averaging 59.7 points, 16.5 assists and 13 rebounds per game. Those marks make up more than half of some of the Mercury's team totals and will put the trio in the spotlight as Phoenix looks to find success in "The Valley."

It certainly looks great on paper, but how well Plum meshes with her new teammates remains to be seen. If the 2025 WNBA Finals participant can maximize Plum's scoring and playmaking ability, the Mercury may be able to put together a string of victories and move more firmly into the playoff picture.

Copper's and Thomas' roles shouldn't change much with the arrival of a new star. While their scoring may naturally take a dip, Plum's 6.4 assists per game should give Copper, Thomas and Co. more scoring opportunities.

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