Kelsey Plum is heading to Los Angeles as part of a three-way trade that will send Lincolnwood native Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The Sparks traded the No. 2 pick in the draft and Li Yueru to Seattle. Los Angeles also received the No. 9 pick. The Aces received the 13th pick in the draft. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday night because no official deal has been announced.
Plum helped the Aces win consecutive WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. She was named the team’s franchise player on January 11, meaning she could only leave the team via trade. He averaged 17.8 points and 4.2 assists last season.
Loyd requested a trade last month out of Seattle, where he has spent his entire career since being drafted by the Storm in 2015. The 31-year-old averaged 19.7 points and 4.5 rebounds last season and is a six-time All-Star. Niles West and Notre Dame standout Lloyd helped Seattle win two WNBA championships in 2018 and 2020, as well as a scoring title in 2023.
She was the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2015.
ESPN first reported the trade.
Las Vegas still has more room to make pickups in free agency to add to its core group of Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and reigning MVP A’ja Wilson.
Teams can begin talking to free agents as early as last Tuesday, but cannot officially sign them until February 1.
Acquiring Plum gives the Sparks young core of Ricky Jackson and Cameron Brink an experienced guard and reunites him with his former Aces teammate DeRica Hamby. It also brings Plum closer to home as she grew up in Poway, California.
Like Loyd, Plum spent his entire career with the Las Vegas franchise as he was drafted first overall in 2017 when the team was still in San Antonio.