With the WNBA trade deadline only days away, Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier are at the center of trade speculation. The rumor mill is running hotter than ever, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile of The Athletic, as teams around the league weigh their options ahead of Sunday’s deadline.
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Underdog WNBA shared an X post highlighting Costabile’s recent trade deadline updates. Plum reportedly has no intention of re-signing with the Sparks after she exhausts her one-year contract with the franchise. In the same vein, Lynx star Napheesa Collier faces similar pressure as a potential trade option.
Kelsey Plum signed a one-year free agency deal worth $999,999 with the Sparks ahead of the 2026 WNBA season. Since she reportedly does not intend to re-sign, the Sparks may be seriously considering Plum for a trade. This would allow LA to get something for one of their most valuable players. According to The Athletic, Plum has not publicly commented on her intentions, and neither have the Sparks had any trade conversations involving her.
However, if the franchise ultimately does not trade her, then they’ll have to pull serious strings to convince her to stay. The franchise already fired general manager Raegan Pebley amid its 10-16 record this season as desperation creeps in.
Like Plum, Collier also signed only a one-year contract, agreeing to a $1.4 million supermax deal for the 2026 season. However, in Collier’s case, the Lynx have put themselves in a strong championship position despite playing most of the season without her. She spent the first half of the season recovering from offseason surgery, only recently returning in Minnesota’s last two games. Her absence, in fact, allowed rookie Olivia Miles to establish herself as a key piece on the roster with MVP-caliber performances so far.
But regardless of Miles’ brilliance this season, having Collier on the team remains a major advantage, especially in the Lynx’s bid for a championship. She’s always been a cornerstone piece on the team, which is why she was cored last season. In fact, she immediately reminded everyone of her quality in her first game back. She finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and one assist in just 22 minutes.
The dilemma now is whether to keep her through the end of the season and risk losing her for free. They already used the core designation on her previously, so head coach Cheryl Reeve will need to do some serious convincing. If the Lynx cannot convince Collier to re-sign, a trade becomes likely.
Apart from these two, there are also a number of names currently in trade conversations. According to Costabile, the Phoenix Mercury, who have endured a disappointing run so far this season, may be looking to reinforce their roster with Dallas Wings forward Alanna Smith. Other players like New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Connecticut Sun rookie Aneesah Morrow are also coming up in trade talks.
The WNBA trade deadline is Sunday, August 2. While none of these potential deals have received official confirmation, there could be movement before the deadline. And some teams are expected to get quite busy as they look to reshape their rosters, including the Minnesota Lynx.
Cheryl Reeve Admits Lynx Are ‘Open for Business’ Before Trade Deadline Amidst Napheesa Collier Rumour
Judging by the performances and results so far this season, the Minnesota Lynx look like they’ve gotten almost everything right with the roster they have. They’ve established themselves as one of the league’s top teams. But perhaps, as with every team, there’s always room for improvement.
For Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, that improvement is something every franchise will be looking to make as the trade deadline approaches. And she doesn’t rule out the Lynx being part of the action either. She, in fact, revealed that it could be a busy week for the organization in terms of trade discussions and roster decisions.
“Every team is going to be opportunistic to improve their roster,” Cheryl Reeve told reporters in Minnesota on Monday. “Every team is maybe in a different spot in terms of what they think they need, whether they should or shouldn’t. We’re certainly a team that’s been, quote, open for business, open-minded to things that are being talked about. It’ll be a busy week for us.”
So far, the available information surrounding any potential trades the Lynx might make remains at the rumor stage. It’ll be interesting to see what changes, if any, the franchise decides to make to what already appears to be a strong roster as the WNBA trade deadline draws closer.