Kelsey Plum’s Expiring Contract Puts Her in Trade Talk. So Does a Fired GM.

The Los Angeles Sparks fired general manager Raegan Pebley at the end of last week. The team sits at 10-11. That record is not terrible, but it is also not good enough for a franchise that expected more after last season’s big swing.

Pebley was an aggressive GM. She made moves designed to push the Sparks into contention. Those moves did not work. Not really. And the front office decided to move on before the trade deadline arrived.

What Pebley Was Working On Before She Left

According to multiple sources who spoke with The Athletic, Pebley had been working the phones leading up to the Aug. 2 deadline. She wanted to make a deal. The big question around the league: was Kelsey Plum part of those conversations?

Plum is on an expiring contract. That is a valuable asset at the deadline if the Sparks do not expect her to re-sign. The Athletic reported that Plum could have been a trade target for teams making calls. The Sparks have not confirmed anything, and the rumor mill is doing what the rumor mill does.

Plum has been out with an injury for a few weeks. No clear timeline on her return. Before she got hurt she was playing really well. Good enough to earn an All-Star reserve spot. So the value is there.

Pebley likely wanted to see if a trade could turn the season around. Or maybe she was eyeing a mini reset, trying to bring back assets before Plum potentially walked in free agency. Either way, the GM is gone now.

The Trade That Got Them Here

Pebley made a huge splash before last season. She traded the No. 2 pick in the draft for Plum. That pick turned into Dominique Malonga, who is now averaging 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in her second season with Seattle. That stings.

Then, before this season, she traded Rickea Jackson to the Chicago Sky for Ariel Atkins. Atkins is averaging 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Not exactly the kind of production that moves a needle.

The Sparks have time left in the season. But with the GM gone and Plum’s contract expiring, the next few days could get interesting. Or they could be quiet. That is how deadlines work sometimes. You never really know until something happens.