With the WNBA trade deadline approaching, many teams are considering some tough decisions regarding their rosters, while analysts are focusing on which players could move before the Sunday deadline.

In an ESPN story, Alexa Philippou analyzed the best players to keep your eye on in the lead-up to Sunday’s deadline, beginning with Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum.

"Everyone around the WNBA is waiting to see what happens with Kelsey Plum. We had heard earlier in the week that the Sparks may have had some pretty high asking prices for a player of Plum's caliber, given that she's on an expiring contract and some are rumbling that she might not want to be in LA next year," Philippou said.

The weight that comes with Plum's scenario is because of her production for this season, where she averages 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game, coupled with reports from The Athletic by Anna Costabile that Plum is not planning on re-signing with the Los Angeles Sparks once her contract ends.

Philippou then looked at Chicago Sky player Skylar Diggins, who is clearly headed in a totally different direction.

"We also have a player in Skylar Diggins that is someone who has expressed she is not super happy with her situation in Chicago. But we have heard that the Sky are not shopping her and there hasn't really been much inbound interest from around the league, so it wouldn't be shocking to see her stay with the Sky," Philippou added.

Diggins is upset because of the lack of compatibility with the system of her head coach, Tyler Marsh, her sitting on the bench, and her absence because of injuries this season.

Another factor that makes trading the player difficult is the large salary cap of Diggins, as it will be hard to find a partner to trade her with. Chicago has a record of 10-18, and their general manager does not seem to rush into trading her.

Two other players carry the same kind of significance ahead of deadline day, although for vastly different reasons.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Napheesa Collier Draw Deadline Attention

According to Philippou, another name that should be considered is that of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton of the New York Liberty because she has a reduced role with the team.

"The next player that I think everyone is keeping their eye on is Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, someone whose role with the New York Liberty has been diminished under the system, and it seems like the Liberty are looking to move her," Philippou said in the same conversation.

Laney-Hamilton is currently on an expiring 400,000 dollar contract and picked up three consecutive DNPs heading into the All-Star break, adding real weight to speculation about her future in New York.

Philippou then addressed Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, whose name had circulated among rival teams despite her star-level production.

"Napheesa Collier is a player that a lot of people were interested in. Would she end up moving because of those rumblings about maybe her wanting to look elsewhere beyond Minnesota, her big, on-expiring contract?" Philippou added.

Collier is expected to stay with Minnesota for the rest of this season, according to Philippou, an outcome that lines up with the Lynx sitting in first place at 24-6 following Collier's strong return from injury, posting 24 points and 10 rebounds in her season debut against Seattle on July 22.

Comment below which player you think will actually get traded before Sunday's deadline.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta