Repollo
On August 23, 2026, the Phoenix Mercury acquired five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum from the Los Angeles Sparks, sending back guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick. The catch: Phoenix sits 11-19, six games out of the eighth playoff seed with just 14 games left — a brutal math problem for a star-chasing trade. Supporters say pairing Plum with Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper gives Phoenix a legitimate “big three” and enough late-season firepower to sneak into the postseason, where a hot guard changes everything. Critics counter that Plum intends to go through full free agency this winter regardless, so Phoenix essentially paid a first-round pick to rent her for 14 mostly-meaningless games while forfeiting a high lottery slot. If Phoenix misses the playoffs, this looks like the WNBA’s most panicked buy in years.