Kelsey Plum, Jewell Loyd blockbuster trade grades

Summary

Podcast Summary: No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show – "Kelsey Plum, Jewell Loyd Blockbuster Trade Grades"

Release Date: January 27, 2025

In this riveting episode of No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show, hosts Zena Keda and Ben Pickman delve deep into the seismic trade involving WNBA stars Kelsey Plum and Jewell Loyd. This blockbuster move has sent shockwaves through the league, and the hosts provide comprehensive analysis, insightful commentary, and expert grading of the trade’s impact on the involved teams and the broader WNBA landscape.

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1. Trade Breakdown

Timestamp: [04:38]

Zena Keda opens the discussion by outlining the particulars of the trade:

• Seattle Storm are parting with six-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year, Jewell Loyd, to the Las Vegas Aces.
• In return, the Storm receive the number two pick in the 2025 draft and backup center Lee Yaru from the Los Angeles Sparks.
• Las Vegas Aces send Kelsey Plum, a three-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion, along with Rickia Jackson, Cameron Brink, Ray Burrell, and veteran Erica Hamby to the Los Angeles Sparks.
• The Sparks receive the number nine pick from the Storm and pass the number 13 pick to the Aces.

Keda emphasizes the magnitude of the trade: “This is the first trade in WWNB history involving two number one picks who are headed out in the same transaction” ([04:38]).

2. Jewel Loyd’s Departure from Seattle

Timestamp: [06:47]

Ben Pickman provides context on how Seattle Storm reached this pivotal trade:

• The initial catalyst was Loyd’s request for a trade earlier in the winter, which coincided with the Storm’s investigation into workplace conduct allegations. Although no evidence of wrongdoing was found, Loyd’s trade request became public information following her filing of harassment and bullying complaints ([06:47]).

Pickman notes the shift from Loyd’s two-year extension commitment last offseason to her departure: “It’s pretty crazy to think about where the Seattle Storm were and where they are now” ([06:47]).

3. Impact on Las Vegas Aces

Timestamp: [10:23]

When discussing Loyd’s move to the Aces, Pickman highlights the strategic significance:

• Jewel Loyd’s addition bolsters the Aces’ roster alongside her close friend Asia Wilson, enhancing team chemistry.
• The trade aligns with the Aces' goal of returning to WNBA Finals contention after a disappointing performance last season.
• Pickman underscores the alignment of representation, noting that both players are managed by Clutch Sports Group, fostering a cohesive transition ([10:23]).

He elaborates on the multifaceted nature of the trade: “You have multiple multi-time all-stars, multiple number one picks, and multiple Olympians who are on the move” ([10:23]).

4. Kelsey Plum’s Transition to Los Angeles Sparks

Timestamp: [12:32]

Keda shifts focus to Kelsey Plum’s move to the Sparks:

• Plum joins a franchise eager to transform its fortunes, having not made the playoffs since 2020.
• Her potential role as the face of the franchise and a key recruiter in free agency is emphasized.
• Pickman speculates on Plum’s possible contract structure, suggesting a one-year supermax deal to allow future financial flexibility ([13:14]).

He reflects on Plum’s history with the franchise: “She was one of the first people in the door to spark this new era for the [Aces] franchise” ([13:14]).

5. Seattle Storm’s Rebuilding Strategy

Timestamp: [16:44]

The hosts assess Seattle Storm’s future post-trade:

• Acquiring the number two pick signals a potential rebuild, granting Seattle flexibility in the upcoming draft.
• Ben Pickman concurs with colleague Sabrina Merchant's assessment, awarding Seattle an “A” grade for the trade, citing the acquisition of valuable assets and salary cap relief ([16:44]).
• Potential draft targets include high-impact players like Paige Beckers, Olivia Miles, and Dominique Malonga, offering Seattle multiple avenues to bolster their roster ([18:34]).

6. Emotional and Legacy Considerations

Timestamp: [21:01]

Keda and Pickman reflect on the emotional impact of Loyd’s departure on the Seattle Storm:

• Loyd’s decade-long tenure symbolizes the end of an era for a team renowned for its stability with legends like Sue Bird and Brianna Stewart.
• Pickman acknowledges the deep-rooted connections and the sentimental loss felt by fans: “This is the turning of the page for them” ([21:26]).

7. Broader Implications for WNBA Free Agency

Timestamp: [22:45]

The discussion broadens to the potential ripple effects of the trade across the WNBA:

• Ben Pickman anticipates a domino effect, with Las Vegas potentially making further moves thanks to remaining cap space.
• The trade could influence other teams’ strategies, leading to increased player movement and strategic alignments.
• Pickman highlights that over 60 players will be free agents next year, setting the stage for significant roster reshuffling ([23:45]).

8. Grading the Teams Involved

Timestamp: [28:08]

As the episode nears its conclusion, Pickman offers critical assessments of the teams involved:

• Las Vegas Aces: Despite acquiring a star like Loyd, Pickman questions whether the Aces are an immediate improvement, noting that Loyd will need time to integrate with the new squad ([28:08]).
• Los Angeles Sparks: The Sparks stand to gain a marquee player in Plum, who can rejuvenate the franchise’s fortunes. However, Pickman cautions that successful integration requires time and chemistry ([31:32]).
• Seattle Storm: Awarded an “A” grade for strategic foresight, Seattle’s acquisition of draft assets and cap relief positions them well for future competitiveness ([31:32]).

9. Final Thoughts and Future Outlook

Timestamp: [33:00]

In wrapping up, Keda and Pickman emphasize that this trade marks the beginning of a transformative period in the WNBA:

• They anticipate more significant moves as teams capitalize on newfound opportunities and emerging talents.
• Pickman reiterates the importance of monitor upcoming free agency and potential trades that could reshape the league’s competitive landscape ([33:00]).

Keda concludes by encouraging listeners to stay engaged and voice their opinions on the trade, promising continued in-depth analysis in future episodes.

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Notable Quotes:

• "This is the first trade in WWNB history involving two number one picks who are headed out in the same transaction.” – Zena Keda ([04:38])
• "You have multiple multi-time all-stars, multiple number one picks, and multiple Olympians who are on the move.” – Ben Pickman ([10:23])
• "This is the turning of the page for them.” – Ben Pickman ([21:26])

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This episode of No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show offers listeners a thorough examination of one of the WNBA's most impactful trades, providing clarity on the strategic maneuvers of top franchises and setting the stage for an exciting free agency period. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to women's basketball, this analysis delivers valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of the league.

Transcript

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[Zena Keda]

For the Athletic. I'm Zena Keda and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball Show Emergency Pod Edition. Welcome to a special Emergency Pod Edition of the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. I don't know if you saw, but Sham Sharania folks at ESPN tweeted out that yep, big moves been made out of the Seattle Storm. I got Ben Pickman here with me and we're going to break it down because this is a big, big free agency move. We kind of knew there was going to be something to happen on the Seattle end. There's been a lot of rumors kind of a brewing around Jewel Lloyd. I'll let Ben kind of lay that out. But for first for everyone, let me go ahead and break down the actual trade because I think that that's important. So you guys know the Seattle Storm are trading six time all Star, former Rookie of the Year Jewel Lloyd to the Las Vegas Aces in a multi team deal that will send three time all Star and two time WNBA champion Kelsey Plummet to the Los Angeles Sparks. Yes, she's joining all the babies. All right. Rickia Jackson, Cameron Brink, Ray Burrell and her former veteran teammate from the Aces, DE Erica Hamby out in Los Angeles. In exchange, the Storm will receive the number two pick in the 2025 draft that's coming up this year. And there was a backup center, Lee Yaru from the Sparks. And the Sparks will receive the number 9 pick from from the Storm. And the Aces will receive the number 13th pick from the Sparks. So teams are all working in conjunction to make this happen. Now, Ben, I want you to back us up a little bit and tell us how we got to this point with Jewel Lloyd wanting out of Seattle.

[Ben Pickman]

First of all, it's a good question, Xena, because it's hard to believe that we are kind of at this point considering where the Seattle Storm were just a year ago at this time. Right. You have to think back to last offseason when Jewel Lloyd's decision to sign an extension, a two year deal with the Seattle Storm at the end of the 2023 season really was the first domino that fell in their eventual plan that saw them net Schuyler Diggin, Smith and Neca Gumike. Right. That was something that Noel Quinn, Jewel Lloyd, Neca, Skyler herself, like they all were pretty open about it. I traveled out to Seattle training camp last April and spent a couple days out there. And you know, all of them, including their general manager kind of said as much that none of this kind of happens without Jules commitment first to the organization. So when you think about that and how much has changed 18 months later, it's pretty crazy to think about where the Seattle Storm were and where they are now.

[Salesperson]

Right.

[Ben Pickman]

And so to catch us kind of up to the present, Seattle makes the postseason, they get swept out of the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces. And you know, Jewel Lloyd, it seemed like there was some kind of a fissure that broke somewhere with Skyler, Diggins, Smith and also coach Noel Quinn. We should say that Jewel Lloyd, a former number one draft pick of the Seattle Storm, the 2015 WNBA Draft, she was actually a teammate of Noel Quinn. So they know each other not just from a player coach relationship, but also a player player relationship. But Jewel Lloyd to kind of speed people through. Like she had requested a trade earlier this winter and kind of news of her request had became public after the Storm's investigation into possible violations of workplace conduct for alleged player mistreatment. Her request became public after that investigation resulted in no evidence of wrongdoing. And per the Chicago Sun Times, at that time, it was Lloyd who had filed the harassment and bullying complaint that kind of sparked the investigation. So, you know, no evidence of wrongdoing is found by the team's investigation. Drew Lloyd requests a trade and suddenly Jewel Lloyd, with still one year left under contract, is looking for a new team. And that was one of the kind of, I would say, story lines that hovered over Unrivaled's opening weekend launch, right? Participating in the weekend. Scallarding and Smith also participating in the weekend. They actually played each other in the very first game. And I will say this like, you know, I'm not going to read into all the conversations that were held inside the unrivaled Wayfair arena bowl, but I did spend a bunch of time there in the first three days and I saw a lot of people kind of going up to the Seattle Storm brass. I did not see Jewel Lloyd kind of going up to Noel Quinn and Pokey Chapman and Talisa Arraya their gm. I did see Scholar Digging Smith at one time sitting next to them. So I'm not exactly surprised by this. But you're right, Jewel Lloyd kind of requesting a trade seems like the first domino that really kind of set this eventual three team blockbuster transaction into some ocean.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. And when you think about Jewel Lloyd, especially with the team that where she's headed going to the Aces, I mean that is alongside her bestie Asia Wilson. You know, we know, we know that relationship. When you think about what Jewel Lloyd could potentially bring to the Aces, especially a team that is looking to get back into WNBA Finals contention with they kind of didn't have the performance last year that they anticipated and they wanted. They had some in office moves in their front office as well, trying to not necessarily rebuild but kind of becoming a win now type of team. How can Jewel Lloyd assist the Aces and getting back into that position of having been two time championships back to back?

[Ben Pickman]

I mean I'll answer that and I think like obviously they are hoping she plays a big role in doing so, but I will just say like they kind of found this perfect match of a partner it seems like in the Las Vegas Aces with Kelsey Plum being on the move, right? Kelsey Plum, also a former number one draft pick. This is actually the first trade in WWNB history involving two number one picks who are headed out in the same transaction. Right? Kelsey Plum Obviously going to the Los Angeles Sparks here, you know, Plum had been given the core designation by Las Vegas and she was the first player in recent years of Las Vegas's core championship core who had not signed a multi year extension in these last couple years. And we should say like this is a little inside baseball, but I think it's significant in this kind of transaction. You know, Asia Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young all have the same agency representation. They're all represented by clutch Sports group. Right. And that's not to say that like agencies, you know, you need to have all your players repped by the same agency to have kind of cohesive success easier. Kelsey Plum has different representation. Who does Drew Lloyd's representation. She is also a clutch sports athlete. So suddenly like there is a teaming up not only of, you know, some peers, but also of suddenly Las Vegas, new core all has the same representation. Right. There's a familiarity there from both players and also the people behind them in their respective teams. You know, the circumstance that lets her Nets her to become to Las Vegas Aces. It kind of works out because on the surface, and we can dig into this more as this conversation progresses, you know, you're swapping out one Olympian and Kelsey Plum for another Olympian in Jewel Lloyd. Now I don't think this trade is necessarily as simple as that and I think there's a lot of layers to making that move. But on the surface, like when we talk about the blockbuster, the headline appeal, that's why it's such a big deal is because you have multiple multi time all Stars, you know, multiple number one picks and multiple Olympians who are on the move. And so, you know, that's why I think Las Vegas fans are, it's, I would imagine, still excited by the prospect of getting Jewel Lloyd, even if it means that they have to move on from Kelsey Plum. But there's a lot I guess we can kind of get into as this conversation goes from there.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, so we'll, I guess we'll put to the side what Jewel Lloyd can do for the Aces on the basketball court. Let's get to the Sparks end of this. Plum leaving the Aces a team with which he found great success with and was drafted to became a three time WNBA all Star with, became a two time championship champion with, found a lot of great success, had a lot of great camaraderie. What do you think she'll be able to find with the Los Angeles Sparks? What do you think sparked, pun intended, sparked her desire to leave and try something new with the Los Angeles Sparks.

[Ben Pickman]

It's a really good question and we haven't heard from Kelsey Plum publicly discuss even like her desire to leave Las Vegas in the way that we actually got a public trade request from Jewel Lloyd. But if we're going to take some guesses and through the tea leaves, I mean, with the Los Angeles Sparks, Kelsey Plum really does have the opportunity to be the face of the franchise. She can be the person who is the lead recruiter in free agency. She can be the kind of player who turns this team around. You have to think like the Los Angeles Sparks have not made the playoffs since 2020. They haven't won a postseason game since 2019. It's been a franchise that is in obviously one of the biggest markets, the biggest market we have in the United States. But this is an afterthought in some respects of a WNBA organization, right. That just has not had a ton of success. And so, you know, as we tape this podcast on Sunday evening, it's still unclear what the long term commitment from Kelsey Plum actually is going to be right to get this deal to happen. It can't actually be official until February 1st, so we should say that and Kelsey Plum is going to have to move via sign and trade. And so, you know, it's certainly possible that she only agrees to a one year supermax deal as a result of getting the core designation with the Los Angeles Sparks and then they'll renegotiate long term next off season when the cap is, you know, expected to spike significantly. Or she could sign a multi year deal right now and ink that long term commitment. Now, now I wouldn't just a pure guess. I not expecting kind of a multi year deal to happen, whether it's from her or a lot of other players, just because like there's so much financial upside and staying and she can give her commitment now and then really financially like back that up next year. But assuming she does commit to the organization, like she becomes this immediate franchise building block, this franchise centerpiece that they can build around. And we've seen Kelsey Plum be part of reclamation projects before you got to think, you know, when she was selected number one in the 2017 WNBA Draft, the Las Vegas Aces did not exist. They were still playing in San Antonio. Right. She actually moved with the team from San Antonio to Las Vegas and kind of was one of the first people in the door to spark this new era for the franchise. So if you're her, maybe you're, you're hoping to have a similar effect in la. And of course you're reunited with Derek Hamby, who, you know, was one of the WNBA's, you know, an all Star, one of the best players in the league last year and, and someone who Kelsey Plum has had a lot of success with in 2022, I want to say they had a plus 13.7 net rating, the two of them, when they were on the court together. And we've actually started to see Derek Hamby's instant reaction to the deal. Her Instagram story, she posted a jersey of Kelsey Plum with like a heart emoji kind of around it. So I think that's the kind of instant sign off to say I'm excited to get back together with UKP Zachary.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, just a little reunion out in la. Okay. So it makes sense for, you know, Kelsey Plum if she's able to sign, whether it's one year, long term deal, whatever it is that she's able to do with Los Angeles, being able to become a face of a franchise and also being able to play in a system in which, you know, she can become a focal point. And you, and you think about the scoring, that will be alongside her, the defense will be alongside her. I think that's the really cool part. When you mentioned the fact that it's not an easy one for one swap, we know their games are different, but both Kelsey and Jewel Lloyd can be two way players for their respective programs. And that's really exciting for both the Aces and the Sparks to look forward to. Now let's look back at what the Storm are doing. They're getting a number to pick in this draft. To me, that is screaming rebuild. What does it scream to you?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean, look, our colleague Sabrina Merchant, of all the three teams, she gave Seattle an A on this deal. She gave them the highest grade. And I think her logic, and I tend to agree with it, is that, you know, you have a player in Jewel Lloyd who did not want to be with the franchise. And so, you know, by moving Jewel Lloyd to the Las Vegas Aces and recouping the number two pick via the Los Angeles Sparks, you know, you're able to get back an asset that in theory really helps you potentially start over and build for the future. Now, I think there's a lot of questions still that remain in Seattle. Right. You know, I don't think this will be their last move of the offseason. Neko Gumike, for instance, is a free agent, so we'll see what she ends up doing. Someone like Gabby Williams, she was given the core designation. We'll see if Seattle Tries to move her in a sign and trade or if they're able to retain her into next year, it opens them up to some possibilities and it also sheds a bunch of salary cap. Right. Jewel Lloyd is on a max contract. She was paid around $250,000 last year, was slated for around the same amount this upcoming season. Lee Yaru, the center that they're also getting back from the Los Angeles Sparks, she's under contract for around $60,000. So, you know, you factor in the draft picks and the math, like it's not Exactly a clean $200,000, but, you know, anywhere you cut it, like Seattle is also getting a bunch of cap relief that they can now play with as they enter, you know, this stretch of free agency too, for the Seattle Storm. I just think it opens them up to a lot of options. Right. It's in theory, they could resign. Echo Gumike. They could. You know, they still have Scalard against Smith. We'll see what they do with the number two selection. Like could they be a playoff team next year? It's certainly possible. Or there's definitely a scenario in which they try and fully rebuild and we see them make a bunch of moves and poorly planned for the future. There's just a lot of options that, that they can take it, I think.

[Zena Keda]

Overall, okay, well, they're thinking about, you know, the number two pick just for context, like who those potential, those names could potentially be. Paige Beckers goes number one in Dallas. You're looking at potentially a Kiki area fan, a Lauren Betts, Olivia Miles, Az Fudd. Like, there's a lot of options in terms of being able to add size, being able to add some scoring, being able to add some, you know, quickness and the guards that are available, like, I mean, it's an exciting day for Seattle and I agree with Sabrina. I would definitely give them an A on this trade as well.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean, I think the draft pick point is another kind of important thing to mention because we'll have to see basically what this means for Paige Beckers and, you know, if she does, you know, declare for the draft, like there was a lot of kind of murmurs about, oh, she might want to try and force her way, for instance, to the Los Angeles Sparks. Well, now that option is off the table because Los Angeles obviously does not hold that. That number one, that number, I guess one pick or that number two pick rather that they could move in a potential swap with Dallas. Right. So the kind of draft implications have changed now. Miles was the kind of player that I Think a lot of people thought would be really good as a fit in Los Angeles and be that guard of the future. Now suddenly she could be that kind of player, you know, if she slots in at number two to succeed to the Seattle Storm, to slide next to Skyler, Diggins Smith in the backcourt and learn under her, for instance, assuming Skyler is still there. I also think like, you know, you threw out Lauren Betts and Az Fudd. I'm not necessarily going to throw them in this kind of draft discussion. I think an interesting player too, if I'm Seattle to keep an eye out on is Dominique Malonga and she's a name that I'll talk about and have talked about a lot on this podcast. Yeah, you know, she's a 18, 19 year old French prospect, 67 on Asphalt Leone and was on the French national team and she's one of the, arguably the best athlete that's going to be part of this draft and someone who I think a lot of WNBA executives are really high on for potential. You know, say Seattle tears it down, say they have a void in the front court. Like she is the kind of player that you get in your system if you're not trying to compete right away. You give her opportunity to develop. Maybe she kind of has that kind of ascent, much like Izzy Magpagor did when she kind of entered the WNBA and now it's kind of an all star level center. So I think Seattle comes away with that number two pick with just a lot of options for them to play with though a lot still has to, you know, we'll have to see how it turns out about who comes in, who stays in the draft, who stays in college. Like there's some questions there that obviously need to be sorted out.

[Zena Keda]

I feel for the Seattle Storm fan base and it's because Seattle's been that team that's kind of had this like stability. Right. When you think about Sue Bird and Brianna Stewart, like then Brianna Stewart leaves, but you still had Jewel Lloyd, I mean Jewelry spending her first 10 WNBA seasons with the Seattle Storm, now again, a passing of the torch, what will this be like?

[Ben Pickman]

No, I mean it's a great question. And I mean I think like if you're a Seattle Storm fan and you'll have to find like, I'm sure we'll start to see some outpourings of messages right now, like, yeah, it's got to be emotional, like this is the end of an era for them. Right. Jewelry was the last member of the Big Three that kind of won Those multiple championships alongside Brianna Stewart, alongside Sue Bird, like.

[Zena Keda]

Exactly.

[Ben Pickman]

Drew Lloyd's been there for, you know, a decade, basically. You know, she's played her whole career there in Seattle and obviously had a ton of success and growing up with the franchise, growing up, you know, alongside Noel Quinn, alongside Stewie, alongside Sue Bird. And now that chapter is. Is close or is coming to a close officially on February 1st. So, yeah, I mean, you know, we started to see how the franchise was starting to pivot over these last two years once sue retired and once Stewie ended up going to the New York Liberty. But Lloyd was there and. And kind of the. The lever, the. The legacy and the essence of the Seattle Storm in that era, I think, was still alive through her right now. Like, they have a new facility, they're going to have a lot of new faces last year, they're gonna have more new faces this year. You know, they have some continuity from a front office standpoint, from a coaching standpoint. But you're right, Zena, like, it is the end of an era for the Seattle Storm. And this is the. I think you can say, like, this is the turning of the page for them.

[Zena Keda]

I wonder if this is also a turning of the page for the league. You mentioned that this is the first time in WNBA history that two number one draft picks are, or at one point were number one draft picks are involved in a trade in which they are both leaving their teams. And I feel as if with the new CBA coming, with the parody that's coming across the league, with the urgency that the WNBA has to perform, whether it's the way that we've seen this coaching carousel happen in this offseason, the way that we've seen these GMs move in. In positions, the way that we've just seen so much emphasis put on winning and winning now and winning strong and building dynasties or whatever it is, I feel like these type of trades may happen more often, I guess. I'm asking you what are your thoughts on, like, the. The rest of free agency? Because it. It's just starting. But this is a big move, no?

[Ben Pickman]

I mean, I think this is the first domino to fall, obviously. And I think there will be a domino effect as a result of. Of this transaction. Right. Someone like the Los Angeles Sparks, they still have plenty of cap space left if they do want to take another big swing on a free agent or on a big trade. And so obviously, a franchise like LA suddenly looks a lot more appealing to a prospective free agent or perspective player who would have to be Acquired via sign and trade now that they have Kelsey Plum there next to Ricky Jackson and next to Cameron Brink when she returns from an injury. So even like that team, for instance, like in the short term, like that is a team still to keep an eye out on for potential other move. You know, it sets off a reaction. The Chicago sky, for instance, like they miss out on Jewel Lloyd, who is an Illinois native. Like what do they do to kind of try and fill their lead guard role, their lead playmaking role after kind of poking around at her.

[Salesperson]

Right.

[Ben Pickman]

That's another kind of immediate chain reaction. But to your broader point, Xena, I think we've started to see in recent years a lot more of this, like the teaming up and you know, I'm hesitant to use the super team, but just players continuing to use their agency and use their, you know, their stature to try and both play with players they want to and play in situations that they want to. And you know, I was talking to a player earlier this week down in Unrivaled and they were talking about how like, you know, the situation of all the players, so many of the star players gathered under one roof, like it's only going to lead to more team ups. It's only going to lead to more conversations. Right, Right. And we might see the effect of that this year, but we really also might see the effect even greater next year. Right. You have to think about only two players right now. Veteran non rookie players are signed to contracts that begin in the 2026 season. Right. So put another way, there are more than 60 players currently who were on under contract at the end of the 2024 season who will be free agents next year. So veterans across the league are basically all free agents. And so we could see a ton, a ton of reshuffling. And so I was talking to this player and they were talking about just like, you know, in the sauna, in the meal room, in the weight room, conversations about facilities, about ownership. You know, they kind of said that, that heading into the beginning of unrivaled there was a lot of joking around that happened about, oh, like Satusabli's getting a lot of free coffees or Courtney Vanderstoot, like, you know, if you buy her a pack of IPAs, like you're getting a head start in those talks. But what this player told me is that like over the last week those conversations took a much more serious note. And they were not like, oh, here's a free coffee or like, you know, I'll give you my apartment as Natasha Cloud joke about Satu if you like coming. They were like, they were like business conversations and people were like eyeing each other in the hallway being like, huh, what are they talking about? Or like they're spending a lot of time together. And again, we might not see the seeds of those conversations laid and fully sprout this year, but you know, I think next year we certainly will continue to see some and we started to see some over the last couple years. So look, I think we're in this era where we're going to see a lot of movement and this trade is a big one, but it certainly will not be the last big one I'm projecting. Whether it's this off season or in off seasons to come.

[Zena Keda]

I'm happy you said that. I don't remember if it was like on Blue sky or X, but I saw someone being like basically unrivaled is like tamper Miami. It's just constant tampering. Just keep looking at people's tiktoks and see who's tampering with who. I, I, I love that because it's exciting. It is a new era. It is this opportunity, I think, for basketball fans, WNBA fans to be exposed to so many different new talents. That's actually one of the big things that has been so fun for Unrivaled, getting to see all these new talents that you may not have seen as much if you weren't following them or if you, if they weren't, if they were deeper on the bench. Now my last thought, and I definitely want to get some of your final thoughts around this, this trade one I'll also include sad for the Golden State Valkyries because I know that the Valkyries had a little bit of love for, for Plum trying to get her back in the bay or not back in the bay, but just to the bay on the west coast, et cetera. When you're looking at this trade. I know you kind of talked about Sabrina's grading of the situation. I wanted to ask what your thoughts were. What were your grades that you gave each team?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean I haven't fully sat down and assigned a letter grade yet for, for the deal. I mean I think the team that is really interesting here is Las Vegas. And I know we kind of talked a little bit about the process earlier of why they dealt Kelsey Plum overall but you know, I understand that Jewel Lloyd is an Olympian and is a, you know, a multi time six time all star. But like I just have a hard time squaring this idea that the Las Vegas Aces are a better team right now than they were this morning before this trade happened. And, you know, I say that not fully knowing obviously where Kelsey Plum's mindset was and what she was thinking about next year. But Kelsey Plum has been better as a player than Jewel Lloyd over these last two or three seasons. Right. And she also has, you know, a familiarity, a comfort. She fits well next to Jackie Young, next to Chelsea Gray, next to Asia under Becky Hammond. Under Becky Hammond. There's just, there's. There's an incredible familiarity there. And if, if there's anything we've learned about some of these kind of stars on the move and roster assembly in the wnba, in the NBA, really across sports, is that, you know, just because you swap star A from star B doesn't mean you're getting the exact production from star A and star B in their new places. Right. And that it takes time for a lot of these situations to gel together. And so, like, look, Las Vegas obviously maintains their championship window by acquiring Jewel Lloyd. Right? Like, because they don't lose Kelsey Plummet for purely draft capital. Like, could Las Vegas win the title next year? Absolutely. Like, do they remain among the WNBA is like, best two, three top teams in the league. Yes. But like, if you're the New York Liberty, are you more afraid of the Las Vegas Aces today or are you more afraid of them a week ago? Right. Like with running it back with kind of a core that was so familiar together. Right. You know, Drew Lloyd, she shot 37 from the field in 2023, and it's 36 from the field last year. You know, Plum, I think, is a better playmaker in recent years than Jewel Lloyd has been. Like, Lloyd could plug in there, and we could certainly see her have a resurgent year. And I wouldn't be shocked if a bunch of her numbers went up, but at the same time, like, she's gonna have to learn how to play next to those players, much like she had to learn in Seattle this past year how to fit next to Schuyler Diggins, Smith and Neko Gumakay. And that's not to say that she won't be able to do it, but it's just to say that, like, to think this is going to be an easy fit and an easy gelling. I think, like history would suggest otherwise. And in the w current state of the wnba, with so many short term contracts, like, we'll have to see what opportunities are really afforded for someone like Lloyd and for the rest of the Las Vegas Aces corps to gel together into the future before someone else, say, requests a trade or they have to make other moves. From a surrounding cast standpoint, I think.

[Zena Keda]

That is a wonderful and accurate and fair breakdown. Regardless of leagues you're watching male or female pro. Even now in the nil age, as you're seeing team or young college players go from team to team, it does take a while for things to gel and I think that's why the situation when the Aces got Candace Parker, it was such a unique change. I mean they, that changed the face of their team and it added to the core as opposed to swapping out a piece of the core. So this is super interesting, really exciting way to kind of kick off the first announcement. Within this free agency period, there's going to be a lot more moves. I anticipate that as well. As Ben mentioned, I anticipate that too. We know that there's going. I think there's going to have to be moves, especially when you've got one team that's literally building their team in the Golden State Valkyries. I'm, I'm very curious as to how all of this is going to play out next season, how the other moves are going to start to domino as a result of seeing this move. You guys got to pay attention. But we're going to keep having these conversations. Ben, thank you for making yourself available on a Sunday night to help us break it all the way down. And again, as Ben mentioned, this is not finalized until February 1st. So as you're talking to your friends and explaining this, make sure you drop that little nugget to sound even more informed. Any last words on this, Ben?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, and I would just stress like that is really important here. Right. Because the literal contract details that get sorted out here, say from Kelsey Plumb side via sign. A trade like that has a significant implication for, you know, this deal and what it means, say for the Los Angeles Sparks, as we were talking about. Right. You know, I think it's fair to assume that she wants to. I think she signed off and kind of being a part of this LA Sparks iteration this upcoming season and you know, signaled an intention of wanting to be there. But like there is also a difference between signing a one year deal and a two year deal. Right. And like we'll see what kind of is said and what the contract parameters come to be. Like there seems to be interest in a long term partnership between the two sides that plum will be there. But the February 1 deadline, the fact that deals can't be official till then, that is significant. Here because it is a sign and trade. And so we'll see what other changes potentially get thrown into this deal or what other deals happen as a result of this. And we should say LA has a ton of cap space left. It has implications for Golden State, as you mentioned, their franchise who's obviously trying to fill out their roster. They have a ton of cap space. Like what does it mean for Satus trade value or Alyssa Thomas potentially on the market? Like those are two other names of star players who potentially could be on the move and would have to be moved via sign and trade. So in much the same way, like we could be seeing other blockbuster deals very soon now that we've seen this kind of first swap that involves Jewel Lloyd and Kelsey Plum.

[Zena Keda]

And in much the same way as we did tonight, when those blockbuster moves happen, we we will be here to break them down. Thank you Ben, of course, for your breakdown. And guys, thanks for tuning in. As always, this is an emergency POD edition of the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Leave us your comments. Let us know your thoughts. Do you like this trade? Who do you like it for the most? Is it the Sparks? Is it the Aces at the Storm? We want to hear from you, so make sure you tune in for the remainder of this week because we're going to be talking about college again. Don't you worry. Got some more interviews coming, but appreciate you guys as always, encouraging you. Keep listening, keep watching, keep learning and keep loving the game. Because hey, that's the only way we're going to keep growing it until next time.

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