There weren’t many blockbuster trades in the WNBA at the trade deadline, but the Sparks were involved in one, sending Kelsey Plum to the Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first round pick and a 2028 second round pick.
The move signals a shift for the franchise as they focus on their future and developing their young core.
While the next obvious thing for the Sparks to do now that they’ll have two first-round picks for 2027 is to tank, it remains to be seen if they’ll embrace that approach.
Head
coach Lynne Roberts seemed pretty adamant that nothing with her team was going to change and that the identity was as strong as ever.
The Sparks backed up their coach’s talk by beating the Fire on the road and snapping their six-game losing streak.
This victory didn’t help LA’s lottery odds, but even if they want to join the tank for JuJu Watkins contest, the line is already long. The bottom four teams in the WNBA are all on losing streaks of at least five games.
Currently, the Sparks are five games back of the Mystics for the final postseason spot.
We’ll have to wait and see if the Sparks shift their minutes more toward their younger players or if they continue to try and make the playoffs until they are mathematically out.
For now, let’s grade their performances. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Ariel Atkins
30.6 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 4-9 FG, 4-7 3PT, +9
Atkins has always been an elite defender, but her offense has been on a decline for years now. This week was a template for how she needs to play for the rest of the year. Atkins just needs to embrace the 3-point shot and knock down the open ones she gets. Against the Fire, she did that and it worked wonderfully.
Grade: B+
Nneka Ogwumike
30.2 minutes, 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 8-18 FG, 3-7 3PT, 3-4 FT, +8
The Sparks need a leader, and thankfully they have one in Nneka. In the second half against the Fire, she was fantastic, scoring 20 of her 22 points. Her 3-pointer during the clutch completed the comeback, and her free throws helped ice the game.
Ogwumike signed a one-year deal with the Sparks, so who knows if she’ll return for 2027. But if LA is going to win more games in 2026, it’ll likely be because she was playing at a high level.
Grade: A
Rae Burrell
29.7 minutes, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 3-8 FG, 2-3 3PT, 4-4 FT, -2
Burrell’s been having a career year, but this week was a slight setback. Her scoring took a dip, but there’s no need for concern. Burrell has been a consistent scorer and a ball of energy for the Sparks and a mediocre performance doesn’t change that.
Grade: B-
Dearica Hamby
29.2 minutes, 23 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 11-15 FG, 1-2 FT, –3
In July, Hamby began to find her groove, averaging 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. She has continued that trajectory in August with a 23-point, 10-rebound performance against the Fire.
It took a while, but Hamby is finding her groove. This final stretch of the season could be her best basketball of the year.
Grade: A
Erica Wheeler
27.6 minutes, 12 points, 8 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 3-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, 4-4 FT, +11
Starting and playing so many minutes is a lot to ask Wheeler, but she’s handling it well. She is a savvy veteran, providing stability and consistency to this team. This week was no different. When her scoring rises, the Sparks are better, and Wheeler scoring in double figures is a big reason LA’s losing streak came to an end.
Grade: B+
Cameron Brink
20.6 minutes, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 3-9 FG, 1-3 3PT, +5
To take that next step, Brink needs to cut down on her fouls and provide more offensively. She’s shown signs of a jumper with an uptick in 3-point attempts. However, she had four fouls against the Fire, so work needs to be done in that department. On the plus side, she did have a pair of blocks in that contest and remains an elite rim protector.
Grade: B
Jihyun Park
18.2 minutes, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 5-7 FG, 2-3 3PT, -1
Park was one of three bench players that got some run this week. At this point, she has to show enough growth to make a case to be part of LA’s future. Against the Fire, she had a brilliant fourth quarter where she scored eight of her 12 points. She was also a perfect 3-3 from the field during that closing period.
Grade: A
Chance Gray
14 minutes, 6 points, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 2-3 FG, 2-3 3PT, -2
With Plum gone, there are backcourt minutes up for the taking. Rookie guard Gray had a couple of quality shifts against the Fire and took smart shots. If she continues to do that, more playing time will be on the way.
Grade: B
Lynne Roberts
This wasn’t an easy week for Roberts and the Sparks, but they managed it well and got a win. She deserves a ton of credit for keeping her team focused through the trade deadline and getting them back on track on the road.
Grade: A
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
