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Napheesa Collier, Lunar Owls ubeatable?!
PLUS, a spicy trade reported ahead of the WNBA FA signing window
Black Rosie & Brian Fleurantin
January 28, 2025
In partnership with
😱 BIG TRADE COMING!
Keiana Martin and Erica L. Ayala break down the reports that Jewell Loyd is headed to Las Vegas, and Kelsey Plum is headed to Los Angeles.
Hi Hoops Fans!
I'm typing this once again from Miami! IcyHot invited Black Rosie Media to an ‘Unrivaled’ experience that I cannot wait to share!
IcyHot is the official recovery partner for the new 3-on-3 league setting up shop in Florida this WNBA offseason. I had the chance to have dinner and enjoy last night’s Unrivaled slate with representatives from the brand.
Today, we toured the facilities and spoke to Unrivaled’s Head of Medicine, Lindsey Elizondo, Napheesa Collier (co-founder and league-leading scorer), and Arike Ogunbowale.
Members of our Slack community will get a first look. Join here for free!
We’ll have a more detailed story at BlackRosieMedia.com later in the week. For now, let’s talk about Unrivaled Standings.
Oh, you didn’t think I would leave without mentioning the Loyd-Plum trade did you?!
Brian dives into the former today. We’ll also have you covered on YouTube on the next episode of Tempestade Talk this Thursday at 5:00 PM PT.
With love,
Erica L. Ayala, Head Black Rosie in Charge (HBIC)
📻 WELCOME TO FREE AGENCY
Throughout the season, you couldn’t help but sense that it was the Las Vegas Aces’ last stand. Winning one championship is hard. Two in a row, even harder. Three straight? There’s a reason it hasn’t been done in the NBA or WNBA since the early 2000s.
That history is what the Aces felt throughout 2024 and they ultimately fell short of history at the hands of the eventual champions, the New York Liberty. Following the season, we consistently heard rumblings that maybe, just maybe, Kelsey Plum wouldn’t be back in Las Vegas. The rumblings got louder throughout the winter as we got closer to free agency on February 1. And now, we have an answer.
On January 24, Roberta Rodrigues of Beta Basket and Tempestade Talk first reported that the Storm, Aces, and Sparks were discussing star guards Plum and Jewell Loyd. Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum.
On January 25, Annie Costiable of the Chicago Sun-Times added more reporting and insight on this situation.
On January 26, ESPN’s Shams Charania, Alexa Philippou, Kendra Andrews, and Ramona Shelburne brought it all the way home.
In the mega trade:
Loyd and the number 13 pick in the 2025 Draft go to Vegas
Plum and the ninth pick to LA
Li Yeuru, the 2025 second pick, and Vegas’ 2026 first-round pick go to Seattle.
On the night of the trade, Black Rosie Media’s very own Erica L. Ayala broke the trade down with Keiana Martin of CBS Sports.
At the Women’s Basketball Roundup, we’ve talked extensively about Loyd’s discontent with the Storm and her trade request. She preferred joining her Team USA (and Klutch Sports) teammates A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young in Vegas as they try to return to the Finals.
It marks a disappointing end to a storied career in Seattle that saw Loyd win two WNBA championships, the Commissioner’s Cup, and provide Storm fans with unforgettable moments.
As it stands right now, the Aces are still without a General Manager and still have a lot of issues to address on the roster. Loyd and the Aces will play in Seattle on Sunday, May 25.
For the Seattle Storm, they now find themselves in a fascinating position. They can go in any number of directions with the number two pick in an excellent draft.
Do they go for a guard to replace Loyd?
Do they go for a forward to be Nneka Ogwumike’s eventual successor?
And is there a possibility that UCONN guard Paige Bueckers will try to avoid the Dallas Wings and make her way to Seattle?
For the Sparks, this trade could represent the start of their return to respectability.
The Sparks, an original franchise in one of the most exciting cities in the United States, is expected to compete and put on the best show possible every night for the fans.
Additionally, L.A. has fallen behind its peers in terms of practice facilities and various player supports.
Last summer, Magic Johnson spoke with the Los Angeles Times and made clear that the losing days in LA were numbered. The Magic Man said in part:
“It’s probably been my fault that I’ve let Eric Holoman make all the decisions, and us, as the owners, we’ve been sitting back a little.
I think I have to get more involved, and I’ll do that, that’s a commitment to the fans, that I will get more involved and be part of it more to help bring the Sparks back to a championship level.”
With the addition of Plum and Johnson’s desire to be better, 2025 should be the first step on a journey back to the playoffs for Los Angeles.
The California native will join up-and-coming stars Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson; is there a chance the Sparks will end their four-year playoff drought?
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