Sparks turn to Kentucky playmaker after Aces poach their first choice off waivers

The Los Angeles Sparks had a plan. It got blown up by the Las Vegas Aces.

After waiving Ta’Niya Latson to convert Kate Martin’s developmental contract into a standard deal, the Sparks wanted to bring Latson back on a development deal if she cleared waivers. She didn’t. The Aces put in a claim and snatched her away.

So LA pivoted. On Friday, the team announced they signed point guard Tonie Morgan to their last available development roster spot.

Morgan went 32nd overall to the Chicago Sky in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She didn’t make it through training camp. Now she lands in Los Angeles, where the backcourt has been a problem basically all season.

The Sparks now have 12 players on standard contracts and two on development deals. Morgan and forward Alissa Pili are the two development guys. Each team gets 24 games total for players on those deals, and LA has already used 16 of them. That leaves eight games for Morgan and Pili the rest of the way.

Morgan comes in with a legit resume from Kentucky, where she played a ton of minutes as a senior. She appeared in 36 games, averaging 34 minutes a night. She put up 13.8 points, 3.1 boards and an SEC-leading 7.9 assists. Her shooting splits were solid: 46.7 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from three, 73.1 percent from the free-throw line. She was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award.

Zach Knowlton, the Sparks’ assistant general manager, talked up her playmaking in the team’s announcement.

“We’re excited to welcome Tonie to the Sparks organization,” Knowlton said. “She is a dynamic playmaker who has consistently demonstrated the ability to elevate those around her. Her competitiveness, court vision and feel for the game make her an excellent addition to our development program, and we look forward to helping her continue to grow.”

Getting a point guard has been a priority for the Sparks for months. Morgan gives them an option who can actually run an offense and find shooters. If the rotation gets thin or injuries hit, she’s someone who can step in.

Los Angeles is on a four-game road trip that started with losses to Atlanta and Minnesota. They play Chicago on Friday and then wrap up against Dallas. Morgan won’t fix everything overnight, but for a team that’s still trying to figure out its backcourt rotation, she’s at least a live body with a skill set that fits.