Diana Taurasi Makes Kelsey Plum Pitch to Stay With Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi kept it simple when asked what her pitch would be for Kelsey Plum to re-sign with the Phoenix Mercury. "My pitch to Plum, where else would you rather be?" Taurasi said. "You've tried the rest." Plum has been with the Mercury since the Aug. 2 trade deadline. Phoenix acquired the five-time All-Star from the Los Angeles Sparks for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. The trade came with one question that will not be answered until after the season. Plum can become an unrestricted free agent, and ESPN reported after the deal that she intends to go through the full free agency process. When Plum was introduced by Phoenix, she did not make any promises about what comes next. Plum has played four games for Phoenix. She averaged 17.3 points and 3.3 assists in those appearances before another lower left leg injury put her back on the sideline. Her Mercury debut came Aug. 3 in Chicago. Plum scored 20 points off the bench, and her corner 3-pointer with 53 seconds remaining put Phoenix ahead for good in a 106-101 win over the Sky. Three games later, Plum left an Aug. 9 loss at Washington with left calf tightness. Phoenix ruled her out two days later against her former Sparks team. She previously missed nearly six weeks earlier in the season due to a lower left leg injury before making her Mercury debut. In 16 games this season, Plum has averaged 22.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.2 rebounds. She completed her first 12 games with Los Angeles before the trade. Phoenix negotiated with Plum before completing the trade. Mercury GM Nick U'Ren said the team wanted her "for a long time," and coach Nate Tibbetts noted they tried to acquire her over several seasons. Plum entered the WNBA as the top overall pick in 2017. She was selected by the San Antonio Stars, who later relocated to Las Vegas and rebranded as the Aces in 2018. She secured championships with Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023. A three-team trade sent Plum to Los Angeles before the 2025 season. She re-signed with the Sparks on a one-year deal for 2026 before Los Angeles moved her again at the deadline. Taurasi spent her entire WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury, the team that drafted her No. 1 overall in 2004. She spent all 20 seasons with them and often called the Mercury her family and home before Sunday's ceremony. Plum becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season.