The Seattle Storm are adding some star power to their quest to contend with the WNBA’s best this postseason.
The Washington Mystics traded All-Star Brittney Sykes to the Storm on Tuesday as part of a move intended to shake up a playoff race that feels especially wide-open after the recent injury to Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier. The Mystics, who are in rebuilding mode sitting in ninth place in the WNBA standings, received the Storm’s 2026 first-round draft pick, three-time WNBA champion Alysha Clark and guard Zia Cooke in the deal.
Sykes is averaging 15.4 points, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 31.8% from beyond the arc. The 5-foot-9 guard received her first All-Star selection this season and has four WNBA all-defensive team selections during her nine-year career, which also includes stints with the Atlanta Dream and Los Angeles Sparks. She signed with the Mystics as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season.
“We’re grateful for (Sykes’) contributions this season as she played a key role in our growth,” Washington Mystics General Manager Jamila Wideman said in a statement. “We’re proud of the individual success she achieved during her time with us, including earning her first All-Star selection. This allows Slim the opportunity to join a team that is expected to contend for a championship this season.”
The Storm are in sixth place in the WNBA standings with a 16-13 record entering Tuesday’s game against the Lynx. They have lost three of their past four games, despite a couple prolific scoring efforts from Nneka Ogwumike. The hope is Sykes can provide a boost to the team’s offense along with guard Skylar Diggins, forward Gabby Williams and guard Erica Wheeler.
Clark played more than 300 career games over two stints with the Storm (2012-2020 and 2025) and helped the franchise win two WNBA championships (2018, 2020). She was named the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year as a member of the Las Vegas Aces when they won the league championship in 2023. The 38-year-old forward is averaging 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game this season.
“This was a great opportunity to continue building our program and move us closer to our long-term goals,” Wideman said. “Alysha brings veteran leadership that in invaluable as our team continues to develop and grow.”
The Mystics subsequently waived Cooke, a member of South Carolina’s 2022 NCAA championship team who was the No. 10 overall pick by the Sparks in the 2023 WNBA draft. She is averaging more than 10 minutes per game in 2025 and shooting a career-high 38.2% from 3-point range. Washington also released Sika Kone to complete the transaction.
The Mystics, losers in five of their past seven games, are now in possession of three 2026 first-round picks. Seattle still has two first-round picks in 2026 after previously acquiring them in deals with the Los Angeles Sparks and Las Vegas Aces.
