Keep track of the WNBA's wheeling and dealing heading into its transactional freeze.
These buzzer-beaters will come not on the WNBA floors but rather on the transactional ledger, engineered by the front office point guards.
The 2026 WNBA trade deadline arrives this weekend, as any bartering must be done by 3 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon. An expanded team picture, which adds the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo to the fold, will no doubt make things a little more interesting as all squads prepare their final pushes toward this fall's postseason.
Keep track of such deals with Ballislife's trade tracker below ...
(LAST UPDATED: 8/2/26, 4:00 a.m. ET)
Sunday, August 2
MERCURY GETS: Kelsey Plum
SPARKS GET: Monique Akoa Makani, 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
(h/t Kendra Andrews/Shams Charania, ESPN)
TRADE BREAKDOWN: While most of America slept, two teams outside of the playoff picture engaged in a sensational swap. Plum is heading to the desert after a year-plus with the Sparks, the final stages of it marred by a leg injury that has sidelined her since June 21.
Plum's ninth WNBA tour was destined to be her best yet, as she was averaging personal bests with 23.9 points and 6.4 assists before she was sidelined. She was invited to her fifth consecutive WNBA All-Star Game but was unable to partake due to the ailment. Set to be a 2027 free agent after signing a one-year deal that was a dollar shy of a million, Plum will be tasked with dragging Phoenix into the postseason mere hours after fell six games behind New York for the eighth and final spot on the bracket.
Los Angeles is, interestingly enough, a half-game closer to the playoffs than Phoenix but has at least opted for the firm direction of a rebuild under the watch of interim general managers Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen. In addition to the two new picks, the Sparks also obtain the sophomore Akoa Makani, who is following in Plum's footsteps as one of the top sharpshooters in the league. She's fourth in the league in three-point percentage (43.6) entering Sunday play while putting up 9.7 tallies per game.
Friday, July 31
SUN GETS: Maria Kliundikova, 2028 second-round pick
TEMPO GETS: Aneesah Morrow
TRADE BREAKDOWN: Having dropped nine of their last ten in the wake of numerous injuries, Toronto goes for a now and later move with the acquisition of Morrow. Averaging just under nine boards a game, Morrow should help make up for the Tempo's anemic rebounding game that's allowing the most second chances in the W. The sophomore Morrow is signed through next season with a player option for the following tour.
Connecticut, meanwhile, begins saving up for its move to Houston, acquiring a draft asset plus Kliundikova, who has spent this year in her native Russia. The acquired draft pick gives the Sun/future Comets eight to work with over the next two drafts.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
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