The Sparks are trading five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-rounder.
The Los Angeles Sparks are trading five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick, ESPN's Shams Charania and Kendra Andrews reported late Saturday night.
The WNBA trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. ET Sunday. Charania and Andrews reported it is the fourth time in league history that an All-Star has been traded at midseason.
Plum has not played since June 21 because of a lower left leg injury. She returned to practice July 30 and had been expected to play Sunday at the Portland Fire, a game that tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Through 12 appearances this season, Plum averaged 23.9 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range. Both figures are career highs. She led the league in scoring earlier in the season. On June 13 in Phoenix, she scored a career-high 43 points in a 111-102 Los Angeles win.
Los Angeles is 10-17 and has lost six in a row. The Sparks have gone 2-9 in the games Plum has missed.
Plum re-signed with Los Angeles in the offseason on a one-year deal worth $999,999, passing on a supermax worth roughly $1.4 million. She becomes an unrestricted free agent this winter. Last week, Annie Costabile of The Athletic reported that Plum did not intend to re-sign with the Sparks.
The Sparks fired general manager Raegan Pebley on July 12 and elevated assistant general managers Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen on an interim basis.
Akoa Makani, 25, has averaged 9.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 18 games this season. She has shot 43.8% from the field, 43.6% from 3-point range, and 86.4% from the free-throw line. The Cameroonian-French guard joined the Mercury ahead of the 2025 season from Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud in France. As a rookie she started 40 of 41 games and averaged 7.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. She started all five of Phoenix's playoff games during its run to the 2025 Finals.
Akoa Makani signed a two-year contract worth $588,600 and carries a $300,000 cap hit this season. She is under contract for 2027. Plum is earning $999,999 in the final season of her deal. The salary cap is $7 million for 2026.
Phoenix is 11-19 and sits seventh in the Western Conference. The Mercury are six games behind the eighth-place New York Liberty for the final playoff spot. On Saturday afternoon in Phoenix, the Mercury lost to the Liberty 94-92.
Plum joins a roster that includes Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper, and DeWanna Bonner. Copper scored 27 points in the Mercury's comeback win over the Golden State Valkyries on July 29. Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts is in his third season in Phoenix.
Los Angeles acquired Plum in January 2025 in a three-team trade that sent Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces and the second overall pick in that year's draft to the Seattle Storm. Seattle used the pick on Dominique Malonga. Plum was the first overall pick in the 2017 draft by the San Antonio Stars, and she won championships with Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023.
Los Angeles has $3.4 million in guaranteed salary on its 2027 books, with Dearica Hamby, Ariel Atkins, Erica Wheeler, and Cameron Brink under contract. Sparks coach Lynne Roberts is in her second season.
Earlier in the week, the Liberty, Mercury, and Atlanta Dream were all reported to be pursuing Plum. The Toronto Tempo traded for Aneesah Morrow ahead of the deadline.
Phoenix plays Monday at the Chicago Sky. The Mercury visit Los Angeles on Aug. 11.
