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The writing was on the wall, as it was time for Jewell Loyd and the Seattle Storm to part ways with one another.
Loyd was an instrumental part of two WNBA championship runs during his days in Seattle. She's a six-time All-Star, former All-Star MVP, scoring champion and first-team All-WNBA player. Nevertheless, as impactful as she was for the Storm, Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times believes it's only going to make the team better in the long run.
The Seattle Storm moved the 10-year veteran in a deal that sent Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Spark, with the Storm getting the No. 2 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft. With it, Calkins thinks they can get UConn star Paige Bueckers:
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"But isn’t Bueckers going No. 1 on every mock draft board? Yes, she is. But as ESPN’s Kevin Pelton pointed out Sunday, the Storm jumping from ninth to second on the draft board puts them in a position to trade up and grab the former Wooden Award winner.
"His reasoning? That Bueckers may say she’d rather return to college for a sixth year of eligibility than play for the Dallas Wings, who have the top pick," wrote Calkins.
Bueckers is penciled in as the next big thing in college basketball, and even if they don't get her, they could also target Notre Dame point guard Olivia Miles. Moreover, Loyd accused the organization of bullying and harassment, and keeping her there would only hurt the team's chemistry:
"Then came the bullying and harassment allegations Loyd launched against the Storm. An investigation conducted by an independent law firm hired by the Storm found no wrongdoing, according to the team.
"But it resulted in Loyd requesting a trade. Well, now she got it. And Seattle is likely going to be a lot better off for it," Calkins added.
The Seattle Storm could get a generational talent
Paige Bueckers became the quickest player to score 2,000 career points in UConn history, topping the legendary Maya Moore. She has been projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and reached a NIL deal with Unrivaled for when she turns pro.
Nevertheless, with all the instability surrounding the Dallas Wings organization and the political climate in Texas, several reports claim that Bueckers would rather return to college than play for them. And with the Seattle Storm jumping from No. 9 to No. 2 in the WNBA Draft, she now becomes a realistic possibility for them.
