WNBA Trade Rumors: Insider predicts blockbuster Kelsey Plum exit from Aces after difficult personal year

Kelsey Plum and Satou Sabally have dominated this WNBA off-season trade talks. The latest report by Las Vegas Review-Journal's Callie Fin suggests that Plum could be headed to another team for the next season.

In a conversation with Natalie Esquire and Terrika Foster-Brasby on an episode of the NBC Sports' "On Her Turf show" on Monday, Fin suggested that Plum would want to move on from the Aces. She also revealed that Plum declined to sign the team's extension offer.

"It does seem like the most likely scenario that Kesley Plum would move on from the Aces," Fin reported."She did not sign an extension and former general manager Natalie Williams told me before she and the Aces parted ways that you know Kelsey was offered an extension and declined."

Alluding to Kelsey Plum's difficult year in 2024, Fin said that speaking directly to Plum about her plans wouldn't be possible, but everything else indicated that she wanted out of Vegas. She also said that Plum's situation was similar to Satou Sabally's, saying that she was "working with the Dallas organization."

"When it comes to something like Kelsey Plum, she is coming off a difficult personal year and she has emphasized that she wants to take time for herself, which is why she said that she pulled out of Unrivaled."

"So, we're not in a position to ask her directly, and that would be the best indicator here. But of course, you mentioned my reporting, I can pull and cite a few quotes that imply that... the Aces are working to find a situation where 'everybody's happy'... in regards to Kelsey Plum's situation," Fin added.

Kelsey Plum was picked No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Stars in the 2017 WNBA Draft. A year later, the team relocated to Las Vegas.

There are already reports circulating in the market that teams are lining up to sign Plum. The biggest name among the teams interested is Golden State Valkyries, ready to make the two-time champion the face of their team.

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Kelsey Plum reveals the reason behind pulling out of Unrivaled

Kelsey Plum suddenly pulling out of the Unrivaled League in the last week of November 2024 became a big story. With over a month and a half remaining before the first game of the Unrivaled, Plum announced on Instagram that she wouldn't be participating in the inaugural season.

In her Instagram story, the Aces star wrote that her decision resulted from her deciding to take some time off for herself during the offseason.

"I've decided to not take part in the inaugural season of Unrivaled in order to take some more time for myself this offseason," Plum wrote in the story. "I appreciate the league understanding and being so accommodating. I wish the league and all of the players nothing but the best and I'm excited to watch!"

Kelsey Plum leaving the Unrivaled was a big setback for the 3X3 league. However, a month later, Sabrina Ionescu signed with the league, filling a big void created by Plum.