Kevin Pelton, ESPN Senior WriterAug 13, 2024, 09:00 AM ET
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- Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series
- Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers
- Developed WARP rating and SCHOENE system
Unlike its counterpart in the NBA, the WNBA trade deadline usually passes quietly because the league's hard salary cap makes it difficult to construct workable deals during the season. Already, 2024 is an outlier, with the Connecticut Sun loading up for the playoffs by adding guard Marina Mabrey as part of a three-player trade with the Chicago Sky last month.
Because multiple teams have extra cap space this season, we could see more trades of consequence before the Aug. 20 deadline, which falls five days after the WNBA schedule restarts following the Olympics.
With the league's top teams not looking quite as dominant as they did last season, when the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty met in both the Commissioner's Cup final and the WNBA Finals, there's an opportunity for other teams to follow Connecticut's lead in pursuit of a deep playoff run or simply to better position themselves for the rest of the season and beyond.
Here are five deals -- some bigger than others -- we'd like to see happen before the deadline.
Fever reshuffle around Clark
Indiana Fever get: Guard Brittney Sykes, forward Myisha Hines-Allen, 2026 second-round pick
Washington Mystics get: Forwards Katie Lou Samuelson and NaLyssa Smith, center Victaria Saxton, 2026 first-round pick
More than a half-season into the Caitlin Clark era, Indiana has a better idea of how to build around both Clark and fellow No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston. Floor spacing and quick decision-making are important to keep up with Clark and open up things for Boston.
That has made Smith, the No. 2 pick in 2022, something of a tricky fit. Smith's best skill, volume scoring, is no longer as useful for the Fever with Clark and Boston leading the offense. Her 11.6 points per game are a career low. And Smith's defensive limitations caused Indiana coach Christie Sides to briefly demote her from the starting lineup.
As a result, now might be the time to utilize Smith's trade value to restructure around Clark and Boston. Samuelson, the Fever's big addition in free agency last winner, has averaged just 5.4 points per game coming off giving birth and isn't the kind of wing defender Indiana needs alongside Clark. Enter Sykes, one of the league's best stoppers, who would also fit well offensively if last season's 35% 3-point shooting was legit.
Although Sykes -- who is back in practice, having played just three games so far this season because of injuries -- and Hines-Allen would help the Fever the rest of the way, this deal is really about 2025. Sykes is under contract for $195,000, barely more than the $180,250 Samuelson is set to make (all salary figures via HerHoopStats.com data), and is a better addition than Indiana could realistically expect in free agency.
With Sykes and a year of development from Boston and Clark, the Fever could hope to send Washington a pick in the back half of the first round while getting a pick near the top of the second round in return. That's still a good exchange for the Mystics. Sykes is no longer as valuable to a rebuilding Washington team as when she signed there in free agency before last season, and Smith would have more offensive opportunities with the Mystics.
Storm add Stevens
Seattle Storm get: Forward Azura Stevens
Los Angeles Sparks get: Forward Victoria Vivians, center Mercedes Russell, 2025 first-round pick
Stevens returned just before the Olympic break from an arm injury suffered while playing in China that required offseason surgery. Consider her the best traditional rental available before the trade deadline. Stevens is in the last season of a two-year contract with the Sparks, who would surely love to stockpile more draft picks as part of a rebuild centered around 2024 lottery picks Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson.
The last time Stevens played a bench role, she finished second in Sixth Player of the Year voting in 2022 with the Chicago Sky. That kind of play would be a massive upgrade for the Storm's second unit. Seattle has outscored opponents by 13.7 points per 100 possessions with starters Ezi Magbegor and Nneka Ogwumike on the court together this season, per WNBA Advanced Stats, but is minus-29 in the 84 minutes neither of them has played.
This deal would look particularly strong if the Storm can also re-sign forward Gabby Williams as an unrestricted free agent after she represented France in the Olympics, which would make Vivians -- who started the season's first 15 games before giving way to rising Jordan Horston -- expendable.
Would that be worth Seattle giving up another first-round pick after trading the one used on Jackson to Los Angeles last winter? Possibly so if the Storm believe it could make the difference in the battle for the third seed. Seattle is currently tied for third in the WNBA standings with the Minnesota Lynx, both a half-game up on the Aces. Finishing third would give the Storm a realistic path to the WNBA Finals this season. But Seattle isn't the only contender that could use Stevens.
Aces load up
Las Vegas Aces get: Forward Azura Stevens
Los Angeles Sparks get: Forward Kierstan Bell, center Megan Gustafson, 2026 first-round pick
What if the Aces, currently sitting on nearly $40,000 in cap room after Candace Parker's preseason retirement, make a play for Stevens? Las Vegas can't offer its 2025 first-round pick, which was rescinded as part of the Aces' punishment when the WNBA found impermissible benefits given to departed forward Dearica Hamby, now with Los Angeles. So the Sparks would have to wait until 2026, although this version of the trade takes up less of their remaining cap space.
Having played with Parker in Chicago, Stevens could fill a similar role in Las Vegas across multiple frontcourt positions, adding to the Aces' depth. She'd give them a more legitimate stretch-5 option than starter Kiah Stokes. In fact, Stevens has already made more 3-pointers in four games this season (8) than Stokes has in 23 games (5). That element was a key reason Las Vegas was so dominant when Parker was healthy in the first half of 2023.
One potential complication to a deal: The Aces are again being investigated for impermissible benefits, this time in relation to sponsorship deals their players signed with the city's tourism authority. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said at last month's WNBA All-Star Game that the investigation is ongoing, which could result in Las Vegas losing another first-round pick and not having it to trade.
Banham moves again
Atlanta Dream get: Guard Rachel Banham
Chicago Sky get: Forwards Laeticia Amihere and Lorela Cubaj
Veteran sharpshooter Banham, who turned 31 last month, doesn't really fit on a young Chicago team after being acquired from Connecticut as part of the Mabrey deal. So let's reroute her to a team badly in need of shooting. Atlanta ranks 11th in the WNBA in both made 3s (ahead of only the Sky) and percentage (ahead of the Storm).
Because the Dream owe their first-round pick to the Mystics dating to their trade for Allisha Gray, Atlanta has urgency to make up a three-game gap in the standings on Chicago for the eighth and final playoff spot. With the Dream getting Jordin Canada and Rhyne Howard back healthy, they're poised to finish strong, and Banham would provide another boost -- while weakening the Sky, who already traded Mabrey.
For Chicago, the benefit is getting out of Banham's $95,000 protected salary for 2025. That is a slight complication from Atlanta's standpoint. While Banham isn't making dramatically more than the minimum, adding her would give the Dream just two protected contracts available in 2025 free agency.
Wings clear room for Sims
Los Angeles Sparks get: Forward Lou Lopez Senechal, 2026 second-round pick
Dallas Wings get: 2026 third-round pick
Perhaps no team is more likely to make a trade by next week than the Wings, who have given heavy minutes to guard Odyssey Sims and forward Monique Billings on hardship contracts. With Satou Sabally already back healthy at the Olympics and Maddy Siegrist due back from finger surgery, Dallas might no longer be eligible for hardship spots soon.
Although the return of Sabally and Siegrist would lessen the need for Billings, Sims has simply been one of the Wings' best guard options, averaging 33.9 minutes, 17.2 points and 5.6 assists since rejoining Dallas. The Wings could make room for her on the full roster by dealing Senechal, who has played fewer minutes (98) than Sims (305) while being active all season.
From L.A.'s standpoint, this is essentially buying up in the 2026 draft using the team's cap space.
