WNBA Trades Shake Up: Kelsey Plum Moves to Phoenix and Aneesah Morrow Joins Toronto

The Los Angeles Sparks made a significant trade, sending All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury. In return, the Sparks received a first-round pick for the next year, Monique Akoa Makani, and a second-round draft choice in 2028. This deal was finalized late Saturday night, just ahead of Sunday’s trade deadline. ESPN first reported the trade. Such a move is rare mid-season, with only a handful of similar instances in the league’s history.

Kelsey is one of the league’s most dynamic players, Mercury GM Nick U’Ren stated. She is a fierce competitor with a winning mentality, impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Her shooting, explosiveness, and decision-making make her one of the league’s most complete guards. We have wanted Kelsey here for a long time, and we’re excited to bring her to Phoenix.

Kelsey Plum will wear No. 0 for the Mercury. She is a free agent at the end of this season and has been sidelined since June 21 due to a lower leg injury. She practiced earlier this week and was expected to play in the Sparks’ game against Portland before the trade occurred. Phoenix’s next game will be on Monday against Chicago. The Chicago Sky made no moves at the trade deadline.

Before her injury, Plum was averaging a career-best 23.9 points and 6.4 assists. The Sparks struggled without her, losing their last six games. With an 11-19 record, Phoenix is six games behind the eighth-place New York Liberty, who narrowly defeated them 94-92 on Saturday. Despite reaching the WNBA Finals last season, the Mercury have not consistently performed at the same level.

Akoa Makani, averaging 9.4 points and 2.5 assists in 16 games, battled a hamstring injury earlier in the season. Los Angeles previously acquired Plum in a significant deal with Seattle, which used the corresponding draft pick on Dominique Malonga, an All-Star this season.

Aneesah Morrow Moves to Toronto Tempo

On Friday, the Toronto Tempo acquired forward Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun. In exchange, the Sun received Toronto’s second-round draft pick in 2028 and the rights to Maria Kliundikova. Morrow, a Chicago native, excelled at Simeon and DePaul before transferring to LSU, where she reached the Elite Eight twice.

We’re thrilled to welcome Aneesah to our organization, said Tempo general manager Monica Wright Rogers. She’s a relentless competitor, particularly known for her rebounding abilities. We believe she’s a rising frontcourt talent and are excited to see her play in a Tempo uniform.

Aneesah Morrow is averaging 11.6 points and 8.9 rebounds in 23 minutes per game this season, with nine double-doubles, tying for eighth in the WNBA. We are incredibly grateful for Aneesah’s time with the Connecticut Sun, stated Sun president Jen Rizzotti. She embraced our vision and was a tremendous ambassador for our franchise. We wish her continued success, she added.

Maria Kliundikova was picked 11th in the 2018 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. In two seasons, she averaged 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds over 40 games, shooting 50.6% from the field. In 2025, she played with the Minnesota Lynx, averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11 minutes over 34 games. The Tempo chose her in the expansion draft.

The Tempo, currently 10-18 and sitting in 12th place, have faced challenges due to injuries. Starting guard Brittney Sykes has a foot injury, and rookie Kiki Rice recently returned after a two-month absence because of an ankle sprain.