The Seattle Storm has one of the WNBA’s more-intriguing long-term outlooks. This is a team poised to compete now, with the All-Star trio of Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike and Gabby Williams performing at a high level as the postseason chase ratchets up.
But the Storm are well-positioned to succeed in the future, too. Unicorn prospect Dominique Malonga appears to be Seattle’s next standard-bearer, and the franchise’s decision to trade away former scoring champion Jewell Loyd earlier this year netted the Storm three first-round picks in the 2026 draft.
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Ahead of the WNBA trade deadline on Aug. 7, Seattle’s stance — to be aggressive or not — could have a domino effect on the rest of the league. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton thinks the Storm, currently fifth in the standings with a 15-11 record, has the flexibility to land a backcourt upgrade at the deadline without sacrificing much of the future.
Pelton predicts that the Storm, very close to the WNBA’s salary cap, will deal three-time WNBA champion Alysha Clark’s $185,000 salary to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for guard Marina Mabrey. The injured Katie Lou Samuelson and one of Seattle’s 2026 first-rounders would head to rebuilding Connecticut as well.
Mabrey, 28, is poised to become an unrestricted free agent after unsuccessfully requesting a trade from the Sun earlier this year. In 15 games this season, Mabrey is averaging 14.7 points per game, though she is shooting just 36 percent from the field. However, a trade to a contender would likely lead to more efficient shooting out of the former Notre Dame star.
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Clark, 38, was the WNBA’s Sixth Player of the Year in 2023, when she claimed her third WNBA title as a member of the Las Vegas Aces. A two-time All-Defensive Team selection, Clark had previously won championships with the Storm in 2018 and 2020 — and if she is traded, she would be a valuable addition to another contender, assuming she reached a buyout agreement with the 4-20 Sun.
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