Liberty involved in Kelsey Plum trade sweepstakes ahead of WNBA trade deadline

Key Points:

• The New York Liberty, along with the Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream, have shown interest in acquiring Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum before the WNBA trade deadline, but talks involving Plum have stalled due to the Sparks valuing her higher than potential suitors.
• Plum, who is a top scorer averaging 23.9 points per game, is recovering from a lower left leg injury and is set to become a free agent after the season, making teams wary of overpaying for a possible short-term rental.
• The Sparks, currently 11th in the league with a 10-17 record, are motivated to trade Plum to gain assets before potentially losing her in free agency, especially as their season has struggled.
• The Liberty, holding a 17-13 record and a playoff spot, are considering whether acquiring Plum could boost their championship chances despite defensive concerns and salary cap challenges, as adding Plum would require moving multiple assets.
• New York may also opt to keep their current roster intact and hope injured key players like Leonie Fiebich and Satou Sabally return healthy for the playoffs.