Plum to Valkyries? Morrow to Tempo? Moves to watch for ahead of WNBA trade deadline — SkimNews
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- Kelsey Plum is the top name to watch — averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists through 12 games before a lower left leg injury sidelined her since June 21. The 10-17 Sparks parted with GM Raegan Pebley on July 12, and Plum is on a one-year, $999,999 deal. The 19-8 Golden State Valkyries, coached by former Aces colleague Natalie Nakase, and the 15-12 Washington Mystics are floated as fits.
- Aneesah Morrow, the 23-year-old No. 7 pick from the 2025 draft, has averaged 11.1 points and 9.0 rebounds this season for a Connecticut Sun franchise relocating to Houston next year. The Toronto Tempo (13th in rebounding at 31.3 per game) and Phoenix Mercury (12th at 31.5) could use her frontcourt help, and Morrow has two seasons left on her rookie deal. Her Sun teammate Aaliyah Edwards (No. 6 pick, 2024) is also drawing interest.
- Betnijah Laney-Hamilton's role has cratered with the 16-12 Liberty: she has played just 17 of 28 games, is averaging 4.7 points on 16.8 minutes (down from 30 minutes in both 2023 and 2024), and has not played since July 12. The 32-year-old is on a $400,000 protected veteran contract and heads to unrestricted free agency. Dallas, Toronto and Connecticut are mentioned as possible destinations.
- Skylar Diggins turns 36 on Sunday — the trade deadline itself — and is on a $940,000 protected veteran contract with the 9-18 Chicago Sky for this year and next. She has been out since July 3 with a knee injury and is averaging 14.2 points and 4.9 assists this season; the article flags that her apparent unhappiness with her role raises the question of whether any playoff contender wants to take on her deal.
- Maddy Siegrist has seen her minutes cut roughly in half (14 per game from 28 last year) with the Dallas Wings, dropping her scoring from 12.7 to 6.3 points despite a 44.9% clip from beyond the arc (22-of-49). Toronto and Phoenix are flagged as potential fits for the 26-year-old, who is in the final season of her rookie contract and headed to restricted free agency.
- The new CBA signed in March has put a significant number of players on one-year deals, a factor the article says will shape trade scenarios alongside the depth of upcoming drafts.
Why it matters: Five players across five teams represent very different trade calculus: the Valkyries (19-8) and Mystics (15-12) could swing a Plum deal for an immediate playoff boost, while rebuilding clubs like the 9-18 Sky and 10-17 Sparks may be selling veterans on expiring contracts before a wave of free agents hits under the new CBA signed in March.
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