Why the Mercury must avoid making Kelsey Plum trade with Sparks?

As the WNBA trade deadline draws near, a peculiar connection has emerged between the Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks: potential Kelsey Plum trade talks. According to The New York Post, the Sparks have been in discussions about sending the point guard to Phoenix. While acquiring Plum might seem like a strategic move to add star power, it may not be the right choice for the Mercury.

Trading for Plum would only exacerbate the team's existing issues. The report from The Athletic highlights that the Sparks highly value Plum, making other teams wary of making a move. For the Mercury, the trade would mean losing valuable assets like Monique Akoa Makani, Noémie Brochant, and Marta Suarez. These young, versatile players offer defense, defense versatility and energy, preparing them for the future.

Meanwhile, Plum is on a one-year deal and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, requiring the Mercury to commit long-term. A trade for Plum would also require the Mercury to offer a significant haul in return, which they lack in terms of picks and young players. The Mercury's focus should remain on addressing their forward/center rotation, which is currently lacking.

Guards are taken care of, and adding another scorer, like Copper, would be beneficial. However, a true game-changer would be a forward like Alanna Smith, who excels in rim defense, spacing the floor, and crashing the boards. With the Mercury currently holding an 11-19 record, a desperate attempt to secure playoff basketball through a Plum trade might not be worth the potential losses.

The Mercury should consider not making a trade at all, focusing on their current roster and roster development.