RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sources
Kelsey Plum dropped a big hint about her Mercury future originally appeared on The Sporting News .
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Phoenix Mercury in no small part have pinned their future hopes on re-signing Kelsey Plum in 2027.
Plum, acquired in a blockbuster trade this month from the Los Angeles Sparks , made her home debut on Tuesday night as the Mercury suffered a 94-84 loss to the Washington Mystics .
It has been a dismal season in Phoenix. Expectations were high following a run to the WNBA Finals in 2025, but the Mercury started 2-8 and were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend.
That puts the Plum trade under the microscope as the countdown begins for Phoenix. If the Mercury re-sign the five-time All-Star in the spring, their choice to surrender a 2027 first-round pick to the Sparks will be judged differently than if Plum walks to another team of her choosing.
MORE :
For now though, Plum seems content if not happy to be in Phoenix, where her idol Diana Taurasi has encouraged her to stay for the long haul.
Kelsey Plum is greatly enjoying her time in Phoenix “The whole community has just been amazing. I did an escape room yesterday for my birthday, and the staff there was so excited to see me. I just feel very grateful.” pic.twitter.com/YjKwqbzntR
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) August 25, 2026 "The whole community has just been amazing," Plum told the media before Tuesday's game. "I just feel very grateful."
Plum was complimentary of the Mercury's medical staff for helping her recover from a calf injury to play her first game for two weeks on Tuesday. Like other players before her, Plum has praised Phoenix's "player-first" organizational mindset, with "opportunity and resources" dedicated to getting her healthy amid an injury-plagued 2026 season.
At the very least, Plum has given the Mercury a chance to impress her on a "test drive" taking place during a lost season. And Phoenix is passing the test so far.
Anything can happen in free agency, but no one should be surprised if Plum signs on for multiple years in Phoenix.
More WNBA news:
Mercury make intriguing roster move immediately after DeWanna Bonner exit
Angel Reese’s reaction said everything after Dream delivered major news
DeWanna Bonner's next team: Best fits for former Mercury star amid buyout
Robert Griffin III makes bold Caitlin Clark claim in heated WNBA MVP race
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.