The 2026 WNBA trade deadline came and went—most teams decided to stick with the rosters they’ve had since May, while a few went out on a limb to make some moves to help with the playoff push as the season winds down. The new CBA and expansion teams have made this season one of the most interesting in the league’s history, and the few trades we saw might make it more so. If you’re wondering what each of these moves means for the teams involved, here’s a breakdown:
Aneesah Morrow is headed north for…almost nothing?
Toronto Tempo receive: Aneesah Morrow
Connecticut Sun receive: Rights to Maria Kliundikova, 2028 second-round draft pick
On July 31st, the Connecticut Sun sent 2025 No. 7 pick Aneesah Morrow to the Toronto Tempo in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick and the rights to Maria Kliundikova. This trade came in the wake of a successful, yet confusing year for Morrow, who’s averaged 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.5 stocks (all career highs) in 20 games, all in the middle of inexplicably missing multiple outings for the Sun. Connecticut has a bit of a “too many cooks in the kitchen” problem in the frontcourt—on many other teams, Morrow would have easily been a starter playing significant, impactful minutes, but behind Brittney Griner and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, she wasn’t afforded the opportunity to do so.
The Tempo, on the other hand, needed a big to round out an already skilled and capable roster. Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes are leading the ship from the backcourt, while Nyara Sabally and Izzy Harrison, who’s been killing it since she returned from injury in June, have bolstered the team’s production down low, but the 2026 expansion team was still in need of another dynamic scorer and strong post presence that can punish opposing teams below the basket and take over when the 3-ball isn’t falling, or even take a few shots from deep herself.
Morrow is just that. I’m already imagining how different the Tempo vs. Valkyries season series could have looked if she was there earlier to give Sabally a few more minutes to rest on the bench or to draw Kiah Stokes out of the paint to allow Harrison to drive to the basket.
Given the whispers that the Sun were allegedly in talks with the Liberty for Morrow, I struggle to believe that this was the best Connecticut could have gotten for her. Seriously, not even a first-round pick? Perhaps this is a bit of resistance from the Sun front office, who knows its days might be numbered as the team gears up to move down south, or maybe something happened behind the scenes, which could explain the plethora of “personal reason” DNPs. Maybe the Houston ownership team made it clear to Connecticut that Edwards and Nelson-Ododa were their bigs of the future, not Morrow.
All I know is, I’m sure there are plenty of GMs kicking themselves for not trying to snag the young LSU alum before the deadline. Clearly they wouldn’t have had to give up much.
Kelsey Plum traded as time ticks down, LA somehow ends up victorious
Phoenix Mercury receive: Kelsey Plum
Los Angeles Sparks receive: Monique Akoa Makani, 2027 first-round draft pick, 2028 second-round draft pick
Kelsey Plum easily generated the most noise as the trade deadline approached. The five-time All-Star guard has been tearing through the league, averaging 23.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, although injuries have prevented her from staying in early MVP conversations. Plum is set to become a free agent after the 2026 WNBA season, and made it clear she was interested in moving on from Los Angeles, who’ve struggled to win despite impressive offensive production from Plum and Nneka Ogumike. In order to not end the Plum/LA saga empty-handed, the Sparks suddenly had to find a team that would be willing to give up young players and/or draft capital for an aging Plum that still planned to field offers during the offseason.
Rumors spread, and much of the WNBA sphere was convinced we’d see Plum join the already highly-seeded Golden State Valkyries alongside All-Star Gabby Williams, giving the defensive team a much-needed go-to scorer. Given Natalie Nakase’s “everybody eats” philosophy, though, it was unlikely the Valkyries would be willing to part with one of its coveted bench players for a shot in the sweepstakes.
Turns out, it was the Phoenix Mercury that were willing to take the chance; the 2025 runners-up dealt young guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick for Plum. So far, the on-court fit has looked good: mere hours after landing, Plum dropped 20 points and 6 assists in 21 minutes in her first game alongside Alyssa Thomas (who recorded a triple-double, in true AT fashion), DeWanna Bonner (who became the W’s winningest player with Phoenix’s win) and Kahleah Copper (who scored 31). The biggest question with this trade, however, was never whether Plum would fit in with the Mercury’s big three—because of course she can and most likely will—but rather what happens at the end of the season.
The Mercury have had a tumultuous year, and these next 13 games will need to be played phenomenally to give the veteran-led team a chance at the playoffs. Even if they do sneak in as an eighth seed, does Plum truly push this team over the edge enough to beat the likes of the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, or even the Valkyries?
More importantly, Plum has told the media that, wherever she ends this season, she will be a full participant in the 2027 free agency process. Essentially, the Mercury could have traded away a young player and a potential lottery pick for a 14-game rental from Plum: an extremely short-sighted and nonsensical move.
In the long term, neither team won this trade. The Sparks gave up picks that have turned into All-Star and All-WNBA players on the road to acquire Plum in the first place, but failed so drastically to capitalize that the guard was practically buzzing to leave at the first opportunity to do so. The Mercury, chasing similar unrealistic “win now” standards, once again have given up on the future for immediate gratification.
If there’s one lesson other GMs can learn from this situation, it’s that you can’t rush a rebuild.