Sparks Deal Kelsey Plum in Trade Deadline Blockbuster
· Yahoo Sports
The Los Angeles Sparks traded All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, getting a solid return.
In exchange for Plum, the Sparks received an extremely valuable 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and guard Monique Akoa Makani.
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Plum, whose contract will expire at the end of the season, last played for the Sparks on June 21 in a win against the New York Liberty, but went down with a lower left leg injury shortly afterwards. She returned to practice late in July.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Sparks are trading five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first round pick and a 2028 second-rounder, sources tell me and @kendra__andrews. pic.twitter.com/0HvWAsrPGJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2026
Trading Plum made sense for the Sparks, who currently sit seven games under .500 and have lost each of their last six games. They currently sit 5.5 games out of a playoff spot with 17 games remaining.
The All-Star came to the Sparks ahead of the 2025 season in a three-team trade with the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces, and immediately made an impact for LA. She earned her fourth consecutive All-Star appearance, averaging 1.9 points per game along with 5.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds.
She played even better this season, averaging 23.9 points per game with 6.4 assists through 12 games as she earned yet another All-Star selection.
Plum is a five-time All-Star, an All-WNBA selection, a former Sixth Player of the year selection and a two-time WNBA champion.
Jun 15, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives during the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries in a Commissioner’s Cup game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Kupbens-Imagn ImagesWho Did the Sparks Get For Kelsey Plum?
Akoa Makani, 25, has played in 19 of the Mercury’s games this season, starting in 16 of those appearances. On 23.4 minutes per game, the sophomore guard is averaging 9.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game.
She is shooting 43.6% from the field, with a nearly identical percentage from beyond the 3-point line. She’s sure to get plenty of time on the floor with the Sparks due to their lack of depth in the guard position.
Why Did the Mercury Trade for Kelsey Plum?
The Mercury’s motivation for trading for Plum isn’t clear, as they’re currently below the Sparks in the standings and will only have her for the remainder of the season.
They’re six games out of a playoff spot, and will have to make a significant push to make it into the playoffs with less than half of the WNBA season remaining.
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