Let me walk you through a small but powerful concept from Neoclassical Economics: Labor Market Substitutability. Sounds fancy, but it’s pretty simple. It means, in a perfectly competitive world, workers are seen as replaceable. Each one is judged only by their skills and productivity. No one’s untouchable. Clearly, the league has no time for sentiment, but there are a few exceptions. A select few who’ve held their ground. And one exception who was never going to be moved is Caitlin Clark. She’s the face of the Fever – actually, scratch that. She’s the face of the WNBA or their biggest problem yet because, as Steve Jobs once said, “If a person can’t be replaced, then we have a problem.”

But besides her, as the title suggests, out of the first-round 12 picks from the 2024 draft, several are already suiting up for teams that didn’t draft them. Caitlin Clark may be irreplaceable, but the rest of the 2024 class? The WNBA wasn’t afraid to reshuffle the deck. So let’s break down the blockbuster trades, and where your favorite Round 1 rookies from 2024 have landed since draft night…

Caitlin Clark and Fellow Draftees In a Glimpse…

Let’s dive deeper into the trades of the round 1 picks from 2024…

The Grand Swap: Jacy Sheldon × Aaliyah Edwards

Back in February 2025, the Connecticut Sun made waves by acquiring Jacy Sheldon from the Dallas Wings. It was a grand four-team blockbuster involving Dallas, Connecticut, Phoenix, and Indiana. The numbers alone were jaw-dropping as the deal involved 13 players and 5 draft picks.

Fast forward to August, just hours before the WNBA’s 3 PM EST trade deadline on Thursday, and the Sun made another big move. This time, they decided to flip Sheldon to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Aaliyah Edwards. But this wasn’t just a straight player-for-player deal. The Mystics also got the option to choose between two 2026 first-round picks. They could pick either their own (originally from the Minnesota Lynx) or Connecticut’s (which came via the New York Liberty). That’s flexibility with some serious draft-day value. And if you’re still unsure about the importance of this swap, here’s…

What the GMs Said:

Morgan Tuck, Sun GM, didn’t mince words:

“Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it’s a statement about where we’re headed as a franchise… What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes. Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we’re ready to build that future together.”

On the other side, Jamila Wideman, GM of the Mystics, sees Sheldon as the perfect cultural fit:

“We are excited to welcome Jacy to the Mystics and think her skill set, energy, and team-first approach will be a great fit for us… She has built on her solid rookie campaign and demonstrated an ability to shoot the ball and read the game on both ends of the court.”

And let’s not forget that the Mystics have been really busy. Just earlier this week, they dealt Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round pick. Long story short, this isn’t just about one trade. It’s about two franchises shaping their futures—and sending a loud message in the process.

A spark in Alissa Pili’s Journey

Quite literally, and while this wasn’t technically a trade, Alissa Pili becoming a Los Angeles Spark means she, too, is no longer where she started. The 8th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Pili was selected by the Minnesota Lynx, but she struggled to find her footing. In two seasons, she appeared in 36 games and averaged just 2.2 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.1 minutes per game.

Her best outing came on June 14th, when she dropped 8 points in 10 minutes against (you guessed it) the Sparks. Soon,  the Minnesota waived her on July 12, and Alissa Pili’s WNBA future became uncertain… until Sunday, when L.A. signed her to a 7-day contract. The twist was that the Sparks head coach, Lynne Roberts, once coached Pili at Utah and had long hoped for a reunion.

“I love her like a kid of my own,” Roberts said recently. “She’s a hell of a player. She’ll land on her feet.”

Now she has. That makes Pili the third player from the 2024 first-round class (alongside Sheldon and Edwards) to end up on a roster different from the one that drafted her. The message is that in a league this competitive, nothing is permanent… unless you’re Caitlin Clark.

Accidental Trade: Leite Edition

It happened when the WNBA held its first expansion draft since 2008 to help build the inaugural roster for the Golden State Valkyries. Every team got to protect key players, but as the picks unfolded live on ESPN, one name sparked instant confusion across fans and analysts: Carla Leite. The shock was not because she was picked; Leite’s talent is undeniable. But because Dallas didn’t protect her.

Leite, a 5’9″ French guard, was the 9th overall pick in 2024 and widely praised as one of Europe’s most electric young scorers. She’s elite in pick-and-roll situations, owns a smooth pull-up jumper, and has advanced passing instincts. In short, she’s 21 years old with the game IQ of a seasoned pro.

And yet… Dallas left her unprotected. To make things more puzzling, Connecticut protected Leïla Lacan, another French guard picked right after Leite at No. 10. So while Lacan remains a Sun, Leite is now a Golden State Valkyrie, before ever playing a single minute for the Wings. Now, Leite becomes the fourth member of the 2024 draft class (alongside Sheldon, Edwards, and Pili) to end up somewhere new. And unlike the others, her move came not via trade or release, but from being left off a protection list.

All in all, 4 out of 12 first-round picks from the 2024 draft have already changed teams. That’s 33% of the class in motion within a year. It speaks to the league’s competitiveness, evolving rosters, and the pressure to perform fast.