Jewell Lloyd has requested a trade from the Seattle Storm. According to Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Lloyd, a six-time All-Star, has been with the organization since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 after a stellar college basketball career at Notre Dame. Along with Sue Bird and Brianna Stewart, Lloyd won two championships with the Storm and was considered by many to be a cornerstone of the franchise.
However, Costabile said a source close to the star confirmed that she would like to leave after nine seasons.
Jewell Lloyd trade request emerges after turbulent season
Lloyd signed 2 year contract extension He signed with the Storm in September 2023 and helped attract top free agents Skyler Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike to the organization despite a losing season in 2023. As a result of this newly established core, Seattle is considered by many to be a contender for the 2024 WNBA season, landing them at No. 4 in the rankings. ESPN preseason rankings.
However, the Storm did not perform well, finishing with a record of 25 wins and 15 losses, finishing the season with an 8 win and 7 loss, but ultimately losing to the Las Vegas Aces 0 wins and 2 losses in the first round of the playoffs.
Lloyd had the most inefficient season of his WNBA career, averaging 19.7 points and shooting 36 percent, including 27.4 percent from three.
At the team level, effort, or lack thereof, was a major theme in the Storm's postgame press.
“In this league, if you're not ready to play, you're going to lose every night,” Diggins-Smith said after the loss to the Washington Mystics. “They were ready to play, but we weren't on both sides of the basketball. If we're going to play like that, they deserved to win.”
And after the Storm were eliminated from the postseason, head coach Noel Quinn once again talked about the team's effort, as he has done several times throughout the season. Our team will get even better. Efforts will never be necessary for us again. ”
Jewell Lloyd's trade request comes as a result of team investigation
Beyond the postgame remarks, the cause of the Storm's struggles, and lack of effort, was not always clear.
But last month, Costabile reported: An investigation had been filed Allegations of harassment and bullying from the Storm's coaching staff. ESPN reported On Wednesday, it announced that an external investigation into reported harassment and bullying had concluded without finding any violations.
“The Storm recently received a whistleblower complaint regarding a possible violation of workplace policies,” a statement provided to ESPN said. “The organization hired an outside investigator to conduct an impartial investigation into the allegations. The investigation has been completed and found no violations of policy or discrimination, harassment or bullying.”
Costabile reported that “Lloyd's future in Seattle hinges on his belief that relationships within the organization can be repaired.” The request came just hours after an investigation concluded that there was no wrongdoing.
What does this trade request mean?
Seattle enters an offseason uncertain whether Lloyd's request will be granted. Lloyd was one of the cornerstones of the franchise and a key part of the 2018 and 2020 championship teams, despite having a weak 2024 season by her standards. A member of the 2024 Paris Olympic team, she was also the WNBA's sixth-leading scorer during the 2024 regular season, despite inconsistent efficiency.
Assuming the trade request goes through, she will almost immediately become one of the top players available this offseason.
Meanwhile, three of Seattle's top players, Nneka Ogwumike, Gabby Williams and Skylar Diggins-Smith, are free agents this summer. It remains to be seen whether Lloyd's demands will affect their re-signing desires, but the initial core of Ogwumike, Diggins-Smith and Lloyd that many thought could bring back a championship to Seattle remains to be seen. They will be disbanded in just a few days. One season. If Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith choose not to return, they will join a free agent class that includes Kelsey Plum, Alyssa Thomas, and several other impact All-Stars.
Additionally, the Golden State Valkyries have a chance to draft one of the Storm's unprotected players on Friday. extended draft.
Either way, Lloyd's presumed departure from Seattle marks the WNBA's first player-related move of the offseason and will undoubtedly change the future of the organization.
