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WNBA Rumors: Jewell Loyd Requests Trade from Storm; Won 2 Titles Across 10 Seasons

Scott Polacek

Guard Jewell Loyd has played for the Seattle Storm throughout her WNBA career, but that may change in the near future.

Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday that Loyd requested a trade. The report comes after the Storm announced the external investigation into allegations of harassment and bullying from the coaching staff did not discover any violations.

"The Storm recently received internal allegations of potential workplace policy violations," the statement said, per ESPN's Kevin Pelton. "The organization retained an outside investigator to conduct an impartial investigation into the allegations. The investigation has been completed and there were no findings of policy violations or any discrimination, harassment, or bullying."

Costabile explained this could be an offseason of "roster overhaul" for the Storm even beyond Loyd with the expansion draft Friday and players such as Nneka Ogwumike, Mercedes Russell, Gabby Williams and Sami Whitcomb scheduled for free agency.

But losing Loyd, who signed a two-year supermax extension with the team in September 2023, would be the biggest development from a roster perspective of the offseason.

After all, she has developed into a franchise legend since Seattle selected her with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 WNBA draft. Her resume includes two championships, the 2015 Rookie of the Year, the 2023 scoring title, three All-WNBA selections and six All-Star nods.

Seattle took home the 2018 and 2020 WNBA titles with Loyd as the No. 2 scorer on both squads behind Breanna Stewart. She then assumed even more of a scoring role when Stewart left to join the New York Liberty for the 2023 campaign.

Loyd averaged a league-best 24.7 points per game that season, although the Storm failed to reach the playoffs.

They were much better in 2024 at 25-15 following the additions of Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, although they were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces.

However, the 2025 roster could look much different, especially if Loyd is traded.

   

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