Kelsey Plum hadn’t played since June 21. After six weeks on the sidelines with a lower-leg injury, Sunday was meant to mark her return. Instead, she found herself at the center of one of the biggest trades in WNBA history, becoming just the fourth All-Star ever to be traded at the midseason deadline.
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Less than 24 hours later, after a late-night flight to Chicago and just one shootaround with her new teammates, she delivered a debut so impressive that Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts couldn’t help but have a fan moment.
“I don’t think she’s played in six weeks either, right? She’s been out. I don’t know if it’s been five weeks or seven weeks, but she’s been out for a while,” Coach Tibbetts said. “To get in last night at 10:30, have one shootaround, and then come out and play the way she did — a hell of a first performance by her.”
Tibbetts’ comments during his postgame press conference after the Mercury’s 106-101 win are valid, as Plum’s debut became a historic moment for the Mercury, per Real App on X.
She ended the night on 20 points coming off the bench, and added four assists and a rebound to push the Mercury to victory. The five-time All-Star became the highest-scoring guard in a Mercury debut since franchise legend Diana Taurasi, who scored 22 points in her first game with the team.
As if etching her name alongside Diana Taurasi in the Mercury record books wasn’t enough, Plum revealed she had also received a text from the franchise legend, someone she has long considered a personal idol.
“It means everything,” Plum said, via Dylan Kane of The IX Sports. “She actually texted me today and just said there’s no one she’d rather have [on the Mercury], and so I’m just very honored.”
Considering everything that had unfolded over the previous 48 hours, few expected Plum to make such an immediate impact. Even the two-time WNBA champion admitted the experience had been overwhelming.
“I was overwhelmed,” Plum said during her introductory press conference. “All of this happened very fast [and it was] very unexpected. … It’s been a crazy 48 hours but to be received like that by my teammates, from the staff, from the organization, I’m just super grateful. I can’t say how thankful I am to go out there and compete tonight.”
Any signs of being overwhelmed disappeared the moment Plum stepped onto the floor. The former Sparks star looked as though she had been part of the Mercury all season, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. But her biggest moment came with the game hanging in the balance.
With Phoenix trailing by one and just over a minute remaining, Plum had the ball in her hands. She drove at Kamilla Cardoso before pulling the ball back out to the corner, created just enough space over the 6-foot-7 center and buried the go-ahead three with 53.2 seconds left. The Mercury held the Sky scoreless the rest of the way to seal a 106-101 victory.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Sparks decided to trade Plum after it became increasingly clear that the former Las Vegas Aces star was unlikely to re-sign beyond the 2026 season, with the team unable to establish itself as a genuine championship contender.
Rather than risk losing her for nothing in free agency, the Sparks opted to move her before the trade deadline. In return, Los Angeles received Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round selection.
Plum’s arrival immediately addresses one of Phoenix’s biggest concerns. Since Satou Sabally’s departure, the Mercury have struggled to generate consistent offense, entering the game against the Sky ranked 12th in the WNBA in offensive rating. If her debut is any indication, the former Aces superstar will provide the spark the franchise has been searching for.
Now, the responsibility of turning Phoenix’s season around won’t fall entirely on Kelsey Plum’s shoulders. With Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper – her teammates on Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics – alongside veterans such as DeWanna Bonner, the Mercury have no shortage of talent.
But the job ahead remains daunting. Despite the victory, the Mercury sit at 12-19 and remain 5.5 games outside the playoff picture with only a handful of regular-season games left.
This does raise one big question about the trade: Will Kelsey Plum still be in Phoenix beyond the final 13 games of the regular season? She gave an interesting glimpse into how she views that possibility.
Kelsey Plum Leaves the Door Open on Her Future
It’s a question that has lingered over the trade since the moment it was announced. According to ESPN, Plum still intends to keep all of her options open when she enters free agency at the end of the season. Speaking after her Mercury debut, Plum reiterated that same stance when asked about her long-term future in Phoenix.
“As far as long-term goes, I don’t want to sound cliché, but I’m where my feet are. Last night I was in Portland, and now it’s here. But that’s why I’m a professional. I’m paid to play basketball at the highest level, and that’s what I’m going to do tonight,” she said.
You don’t give up two draft picks and a promising young guard for 13 games unless you believe there’s a real chance the player will be back next season. That’s likely the bet Phoenix is making with Plum.
Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren has already made it clear that the franchise hopes to make Plum a long-term part of its future.
“I’ll keep all my discussions with Kelsey private,” U’Ren said. “We hope that she values her time with us here. We hope she’s here for a long time.”
Phoenix certainly isn’t short on reasons to believe Plum could stick around. Between playing at the Mortgage Matchup Center, enjoying one of the WNBA’s best training facilities and sharing the court with stars like Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack through at least 2027, the Mercury have built an attractive foundation for the future.
Plum, for her part, made it clear she was ready to do whatever it took to help Phoenix win. Rather than trying to establish herself as the team’s centerpiece, the five-time All-Star emphasized fitting in alongside Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper and learning as quickly as possible.
“I think for me, just having a level of humility coming in and saying ‘Hey, what do you need from me?’ They’re great players, and they’ve played with great players, so just trying to learn fast,” she said.
Plum isn’t making any promises about what comes next. But if her debut is anything to go by, Mercury fans will be hoping those 13 games are just the beginning.