2026 WNBA playoff picture: How six teams can clinch the final berth - ESPN

CHICAGO — Nneka Ogwumike wasn't shaken with Sunday's late-night news that Kelsey Plum was traded from the Los Angeles Sparks to the Phoenix Mercury. With 15 seasons in the league as a Rookie of the Year, an MVP and a champion, not much can surprise her when it comes to WNBA movement.

The odd part of it, however, is the move — which brought in a first-round pick in the 2027 draft as well as second-year guard Monique Akoa Makani — was made with an eye on the future. The Sparks have a veteran squad, with Ogwumike, Ariel Atkins, Dearica Hamby and Erica Wheeler all signing in the spring to compete for a title this season. But Plum, a five-time All-Star and two-time champion who joined the Sparks ahead of the 2025 season, made it known she was ready for a new home and would be actively looking in free agency after this season.

«I've been in situations where it was unexpected for everyone,» Ogwumike said. «It wasn't so unexpected for us. We want her to be happy. We want her to be healthy. So, I think that there's a bit of comfort for everyone knowing that, and also being able to get it done in a way where I feel like everybody's OK with it. It breathes a little bit of life into the situation.»

Despite being in that weird bit of limbo, the Sparks are in 10th place with an 11-18 record and are six games back — along with the Chicago Sky, who have a slightly better winning percentage than Los Angeles — from the Washington Mystics (17-12) in eighth place.

Every team in the WNBA has between 11 and 16 regular-season games remaining, but the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream would need a disaster to happen to fall out of a playoff berth. Washington controls its own