Kelsey Plum’s move to the LA Sparks last season was as big as it could have been in this league. It wasn’t just any trade to fill a roster spot in the squad. Instead, it’s a move that would reset the entire playing style and dynamics of the franchise.

After all, Plum was coming into this team as a two-time WNBA champion. So that would definitely raise the ceiling for the Sparks, who were clearly struggling in the league at that point. Recently, WNBA broadcaster Ryan Ruocco has shared his two cents on the enormity of this trade.

“We’ve seen her have the ball in her hands more when Chelsea Gray was hurt,” Ruocco said at the Road Trippin’ Show. “We’ve seen her play off the ball more. Now in LA, she’s really been given the keys, and she’s had great success, and she’s trying to bring along a younger team, albeit with some veterans, and trying to show them how to win, and is doing a nice job at that while also putting up historic numbers.”

“So, I feel like Kelsey Plum’s season historically, go back and look at the history of guards in the league,” Ryan Ruocco added. “No one’s doing what Kelsey Plum’s doing right now in 2026.”

Plum’s role has flipped drastically upon her move from the Las Vegas Aces to the LA Sparks. With the Aces, she was primarily deployed as a shooting guard, focusing on off-ball movement, setting screens, and stretching the floor.

Her teammate, Chelsea Gray, did most of the playmaking while acting as the floor general. Meanwhile, with the Sparks, Plum is the go-to player on the court, bringing both playmaking and scoring. In short, she is the team’s current franchise player, something that would have been difficult for her in Aces with A’ja Wilson on the roster.

The move has worked pretty well for her. And to be honest, her stat line mirrors that as well. She has had two of her best-scoring seasons in the WNBA with the Sparks. In her first season with the franchise, Plum averaged over 19 points per game.

While that wasn’t enough, Plum is now having her career season, averaging a staggering 25 points per game while dishing out 6.4 assists, as per ESPN. In fact, Plum is one of the few players who are top ten in the league in both these categories. These are undoubtedly some MVP-winning numbers, to be honest.

Although her season has been marred by multiple injuries and she has missed a few games, it hasn’t stopped her from putting up some clutch numbers.

She has literally carried the LA Sparks with other veterans like Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby. It needs to be understood that Plum is still 31, meaning she has a few prime years left in her career with the Sparks. Thus, the project that the Sparks are building with Plum isn’t promising but also has longevity.

As a veteran, scorer, and as the perfect role model to the young locker room of the Sparks, there aren’t many players as appropriate as Kelsey Plum. As mentioned, from a cultural and Plum’s individual perspective, the trade is a strategic fit. Now the wait is on for this success to materialize on the court from a team perspective.

Can the LA Sparks break their playoff drought this season with Kelsey Plum?

When Kelsey Plum joined the LA Sparks last season, she was quick to pinpoint her goals for the franchise. She quickly established that she wants to bring a fresh leadership style to the Sparks.

“With all due respect, we finished last last year, so everything that we did last year was thrown out the window,” Plum had said, as per an article from the LA Times. “I was brought here for a reason. It’s the turn of a new leaf in a lot of different ways, in leadership and investment in the franchise. That’s why I decided to come here.”

In her two seasons with the franchise so far, Plum has done exactly that. She has come forward and set an example with her consistent performances. In simpler words, she has redefined what it means to don a Sparks jersey in this league.

But those results are still lagging from a team perspective. Before Plum joined the franchise last season, the Sparks were without a playoff bout for four straight seasons. Unfortunately, that didn’t change last season as they finished 21-23.

Meanwhile, this season, things aren’t looking much brighter for them. The Sparks are currently 7-8 in the season while dealing with their defensive shortcomings. However, Plum’s team has shown flashes of its mettle on occasion.

For instance, the Sparks have won three on the trot twice this season. It proves that the winning caliber is definitely there in the team. Now, it’s just about coming together and establishing consistency in their winning spree.

If the LA Sparks can secure the necessary support for Kelsey Plum and the veteran core, the league can see this team into the playoffs. Otherwise, it might be another disappointing season for the three-time WNBA champions.