"Paige Bueckers drafted to Seattle": Fans go wild as Kelsey Plum exits Aces, $491,016 star joins A'ja Wilson in blockbuster 3-team deal

The WNBA witnessed its first blockbuster trade of the offseason on Sunday when a sensation deal saw superstar Kelsey Plum teaming up with Cameron Brink on the LA Sparks. The multi-team deal, which sent shockwaves through the WNBA community, also involved the Seattle Storm trading star Jewell Loyd, who is on a two-year, $491,016 contract, to the Las Vegas Aces.

As part of the trade, the Storm acquired the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and Li Yueru from the Sparks. The Sparks received the No. 9 pick from Seattle, while the Aces added the No. 13 pick from the Sparks to their assets.

Fans erupted online as soon as the trade details emerged, flooding social media with candid reactions to the high-profile deal featuring Kelsey Plum.

"Wild trade," a fan commented.

"Sparks just got a lot better. Rooting for Jewell in LV, hoping she eats while A'ja draws more attention," commented another fan.

"Sparks about to be pretty tough. Just get Brink healthy," a fan wrote.

"Cameron getting a Kelsey to play along with and mentor? Sparks should be solid next year," wrote another fan.

"Paige Bueckers drafted to Seattle! Great blockbuster trade. Kelsey & Brink is niceee," a fan said.

"Really good overall trade imo. Kelsey gonna go crazy in LA tho," said another fan.

Meanwhile, the Sparks traded away the No. 2 pick in the WNBA Draft, further solidifying the expectation that if Paige Bueckers declares for the 2025 WNBA Draft, she will be selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings.

Kelsey Plum and Jewell Loyd likely to have a longer tenure with new teams

Following the announcement of the blockbuster WNBA trade, Las Vegas Aces insider Callie Fin reported that Kelsey Plum hopes to remain with the LA Sparks beyond 2025. Similarly, Fin revealed that Jewell Loyd is also aiming for a long-term future with the Las Vegas Aces, rather than a brief one-year stint.

Both Plum and Loyd have had illustrious careers with their former teams. During her time with the Aces, Plum secured two WNBA championships, earned three All-Star selections and won the 2021 Sixth Player of the Year award. Additionally, the veteran point guard amassed 3,368 points, 945 assists and 489 3-pointers while representing Las Vegas.

Loyd, on the other hand, enjoyed a remarkable tenure with the Seattle Storm, winning two WNBA championships, earning six All-Star selections and claiming the 2015 Rookie of the Year title. Known as the "Gold Mamba," she tallied 5,536 points, 1,052 assists and 389 steals during her time in Seattle.