EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWith the WNBA trade deadline looming at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, some important moves might be made in the next few days. Teams vying for the playoffs must assess their needs, what can be gained by filling them and what could be lost with what they give up in return. Teams further down the standings have to gauge whether they can truly improve their futures by making a deal now.There are no easy or guaranteed answers. It's also worth noting that a significant number of players are on one-year deals after the new collective bargaining agreement was reached in March, which could play into trade scenarios, too. Plus, teams must consider the depth of upcoming drafts when it comes to trading picks.Here are five players we're watching closely ahead of the trade deadline.Kelsey Plum, G, Los Angeles SparksWhy she might be on the move: Plum was traded to the Sparks in a three-team deal in February 2025 after winning two titles with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023. She averaged 19.5 points and 5.7 assists last year for the Sparks, who missed the playoffs. This season, she was off to a great start, averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists through 12 games.But she has not played since June 21 because of a lower left leg injury. The Sparks are 10-17 and could miss the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. They parted with general manager Raegan Pebley on July 12 and might be looking more toward the future than the rest of this season.Plum is one of the league's elite scorers and looked in great shape before the injury. Depending on how soon she returns, she could help a team through the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs. She turns 32 in late August and is currently on a one-year deal for $999,999. A team trading for her would want to be sure of two things: her health and her interest in signing a multiyear deal after this season.Where she could fit: At this point, it's clear Plum is ready to leave Los Angeles but unclear who is willing to make the deal to get her. Plum could help the Golden State Valkyries, who have the WNBA's best defense but could use a little more offensive firepower. She is also used to working with Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, as both previously were with the Aces. Golden State likely would have to part with some of its talented depth. But there are few players of Plum's ability, so trading for her -- with the right conditions met -- could be a big power move. The Valkyries are 19-8 and look poised for a playoff run.The Washington Mystics, the youngest team in the WNBA, are 15-12 and in playoff position. Unlike Golden State, the Mystics might not be championship contenders just yet, but Plum could get them closer. In a trade, Washington potentially could provide good capital in the next two drafts.However, both these teams might be satisfied with the core they have now and unwilling to make a big swing for Plum. The Valkyries, Mystics and any other team that could benefit from adding Plum might decide it would rather wait to see whether she would be interested in them in 2027 free agency.Aneesah Morrow, F, Connecticut SunWhy she might be on the move: Morrow, the No. 7 pick in the 2025 draft, was a constant double-double threat in college, first at DePaul and then LSU. In the WNBA, she has been a stronger rebounder than a scorer, but she has the potential to be an important contributor in both. Last season, Morrow started 23 of 41 games, averaging 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds. This season, she has started eight of 19 games and is averaging 11.1 points and 9.0 rebounds. She has improved her field goal percentage from 37.5% in 2025 to 40.7% this season. Her current 28.1% from 3-point range still needs a boost.But the 6-foot-1 Morrow is just 23 and still has upside that can be unlocked. That could be with the Sun as they close out this chapter of the franchise in Connecticut before moving to Houston next season. Or it could be elsewhere.Where she could fit: The Toronto Tempo have dealt with injuries and inconsistent production in the post and could potentially use a player such as Morrow, who has two more seasons on her rookie contract. The Tempo rank 13th in rebounding (31.3 rebounds per game); their top rebounder is 32-year-old Isabelle Harrison, who has played 16 games and is averaging 6.4 rebounds.The Phoenix Mercury are another possibility for Morrow. The Mercury are 12th in rebounding (31.5). Their persistent consistency issues make the playoff race iffy for them. They could look at Morrow as an aid in that pursuit or more as one of the building blocks of the team they hope to be in the future.Questions around Morrow's health also are a factor. She has missed nine games this season, and whether interested teams believe she will be fully healthy for the rest of the season could be a key factor in potential trades. It's also worth noting that Morrow's Sun teammate, 24-year-old forward Aaliyah Edwards, also could be sought after by teams looking for young post depth. Edwards, the No. 6 pick of the 2024 draft, has played 20 games this season and is averaging 9.4 points and 3.8 rebounds.Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, G/F, New York LibertyWhy she might be on the move: She has been in New York since 2021 and was a big part of the Liberty's 2023 and 2024 WNBA Finals teams. But her time in the Big Apple might be ending. She missed last season because of a knee injury and has played in just 17 of the Liberty's 28 games this year, averaging 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds -- and she's down to 16.8 minutes per game after averaging 30 minutes in both 2023 and '24. She has not played since July 12, although she has not been on the injury list. At age 32, she is on a $400,000 protected veteran contract this season and will then be an unrestricted free agent. The Liberty, who won the Commissioner's Cup but have a 16-12 record, might opt to deal Laney-Hamilton for a younger player, as they could use some youth infusion.Where she could fit: Laney-Hamilton can help teams. Until this year, she averaged double-figure scoring for each of her seasons in New York and is considered a versatile defensive player. It seems like her role has been reduced to nothing, so unless the Liberty plan to change that, trading her would make the most sense. Dallas could be interested in adding a veteran who could help what has been a pretty good defensive team that could get better. Toronto and Connecticut might have interest in Laney-Hamilton, too. It might come down to whether New York is seriously looking to make a deal.Maddy Siegrist, F, Dallas WingsWhy she might be on the move: Siegrist played just 26 games last year, but it was her best season statistically as she averaged 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds. This season, though, she is playing just 14 minutes per game -- about half of what she played last year -- and is averaging 6.3 points. An outstanding scorer at Villanova -- 24.3 points per game for her college career -- Siegrist is still just 26. She is shooting 44.9% from beyond the arc this season (22-of-49) and perhaps could benefit from a change of scenery.Where she could fit: The 6-2 Siegrist might be more productive if she had a more consistent role like she did last season. She scored in double figures in Dallas' last two games before the All-Star break but then didn't play in Wednesday's loss to Atlanta. Siegrist is in the last season of her rookie contract and then is a restricted free agent. Teams such as Toronto and Phoenix potentially could have interest in her. But it might depend on what Dallas thinks she's worth, which is difficult to discern based on how she has been used so far.Skylar Diggins, G, Chicago SkyWhy she might be on the move: Let's put it this way: Whether the Sky are even trying to move Diggins is uncertain. But it seems as if she is unhappy with her role in Chicago and the direction of the team. The Sky are 9-18 and appear headed to their third consecutive year out of the playoffs. Diggins, in her first season in Chicago, is on a protected veteran contract of $940,000 for this year and next. She has been out (knee) since July 3, when she had 19 points in an overtime loss to Las Vegas. For the season, she is averaging 14.2 points, 4.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds.Where she could fit: Diggins is coming off two good seasons in Seattle, where she averaged 15.1 points and 6.4 assists in 2024 and 15.5 and 6.0 in 2025. Diggins, the No. 3 pick in 2013, has averaged double figures in scoring every year of her career except her rookie season. For her career, she has averaged 16.3 points and 5.3 assists, and that's very good and consistent production. But she will turn 36 on Sunday, the day of the trade deadline, and the question of whether another team wants to take on her contract at this point in her career is legitimate. Can Diggins be content with a team that isn't going anywhere this season? And does a team that is in the playoff hunt want to bring her aboard?
