Collier? Plum? What Other Players Would Make Sense To Move Before The Trade Deadline?
With the WNBA trade deadline quickly approaching, on Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. Eastern, names have begun to enter the "rumorverse," a couple of them a bit shocking, albeit all on speculation.
The biggest names to surface this week, as play resumed after the All-Star break, were Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, the MVP runner-up the last two seasons, and Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum, who is close to returning to the lineup.
The question is: Which lineup will Plum be on come Aug. 3?
Per one report, based on anonymous sources and pure speculation, Plum does not intend to re-sign in Los Angeles after the season, and if that's the case, the Sparks would much rather get something for the two-time WNBA champion and five-time All-Star. At 31, Plum would likely want to avoid another attempt at a rebuild and will want to land someplace she can have an immediate impact and help steer a team to a championship.
Plum wanted to return home, and if she left, it might be construed as a disingenuous attempt at helping return the Sparks to their glory years. They've never truly been a complete team, battling injuries the past two seasons. We won't know what the Sparks are capable of until they can put a fully healthy roster on the floor.
Also, reportedly, Collier has indicated "to some degree" that exploring free agency might be an option once her supermax deal expires after this season. This one is a bit more difficult to buy into, considering Collier has spent her entire career in Minneapolis, and has expressed her desire to bring a championship to the Twin Cities. She's developed a good relationship with coach Cheryl Reeve, and with the team adding rookie phenom Olivia Miles, it presents a dynamic duo scenario.
The notion that the Lynx have won with Miles and without Collier is a stretch, as they've also remained relatively healthy outside of the face of their franchise. They've also had veteran Natasha Howard to step in, so it's not just been Miles. If anything, the addition of Collier, gives Reeve and the Lynx a 1-2 punch and an opportunity to dominate the rest of the way.
Without speculation, rumors, sources, or innuendo, here are four more to ponder:
SKYLAR DIGGINS, Chicago Sky
This is no guess or speculation; the fact is Diggins isn't working out in Chicago. The problem is, the same was said in Dallas, Phoenix and Seattle. Some might say she burnt the bridges in those places, while others may point to toxic organizations where a veteran single mother of two trying to navigate a professional basketball career at 35 years old doesn't have time for drama. In fact, time is running out for the seven-time WNBA All-Star, who is fully capable of being a productive teammate somewhere she can win her first championship.
The question surrounding Diggins is whether she's willing to accept a lesser role, with just about every contending playoff team having a star player in place. One place that could use her leadership, if she accepts the backseat to the youth, is Washington D.C., where being Sonia Citron's backcourt mate could work.
BETNIJAH LANEY-HAMILTON, New York Liberty
Currently on a one-year contract worth $400,000, it almost seems as if she has one foot out the door. After missing the entire 2025 season due to a meniscus tear, Laney-Hamilton has made just five starts this season, is averaging 4.7 points in 16.8 minutes per game, and hasn't played the last four games - all DNPs. We are talking about a former WNBA champion and All-Star in 2021. Laney-Hamilton is a proven, playoff-tested two-way wing who can contribute immediately without needing the offense built around her.
The key will be what the Liberty are asking in return, and what a playoff-contending team can afford to send back in return. Last year we saw the Las Vegas Aces make a move to bring in NaLyssa Smith before the deadline, and it helped them win a third title in four years. Would the Aces be willing to part with part of their championship core for Laney-Hamilton?
ANNESAH MORROW, Connecticut Sun
Morrow is one of the most intriguing young players who could leave one of the worst teams in the league and have an immediate impact on a playoff contender. The Sun are clearly in rebuild mode, and with room under their salary cap, could ask for a veteran and a draft pick in exchange for their second-year player with remendous upside. Multiple analysts have identified her as a player who could help a contender immediately if the right offer emerged.
She is in the middle of a three-year contract that expires in 2028. Carrying a sum value of $237,670, it's an attractive grab for a playoff-contending team with a win-now plan in place, as she is one of the best rebounders to enter the league in recent years. She is also someone who can run the floor, dive for loose balls, and bring the type of energy that would change the identity of a second unit.
ARIKE OGUNBOWALE, Dallas Mavericks
Still one of the most lethal scorers in the league, Ogunbowale deserves to be the first or second scoring option - not the third or fourth. There is plenty of fuel left in the tank, the problem is Dallas' garage is filled with Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Jessica Shepard and 10 other younger players. This is now Bueckers' team, understandably. But Ogunbowale is averaging a career-low 14.6 points per game, less than her previous low of 15.5, last season when Bueckers won Rookie of the Year.
The writing is on the wall, but Ogunbowale is still capable of being a 20+ point scorer. She signed a two-year contract before this season, valued at $2.4 million, and would be worth a shot if she can land somewhere that is capable of giving her a shot at her first WNBA title.
W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports writer from Las Vegas and a Senior Staff Writer at Ballislife.com. Follow him on X at @WillieGRamirez.