Storm Owner Sue Bird Breaks Silence on Jewell Loyd Trade Saga as She Reveals 6 Protected Players From Expansion Draft

Things have been quite chaotic for the Seattle Storm lately. From an investigation into allegations within the franchise to Jewell Loyd reportedly requesting a trade, tensions are high. And when the Golden Valkyries didn’t select a single player from Seattle in the expansion draft, the speculation went through the roof. Naturally, fans turned to Sue Bird for answers, and as a co-owner and a legend in the league, who better to address it all?

Sue didn’t disappoint. Taking on her podcast with partner Megan Rapinoe, she talked about the Valkyries’ decision and what it all meant for Seattle. “No one from our team got picked,” she started, adding that while the jokes and online chatter didn’t bother her, the narrative was a little off-base. 

She explained how the Valkyries were allowed to pick one player from each team but didn’t have to, and Seattle’s roster may have strategically positioned itself to avoid losing anyone. The 44-year-old speculated that Seattle protected six key players: Jewell Loyd, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Ezi Magbegor, Gabby Williams, Jordan Horston, and Nika Muhl.

“Nneka [Ogwumike] didn’t need to be protected,” she said, clarifying that Ogwumike’s status as an unrestricted free agent made her ineligible for selection. “That basically gave the Storm an extra spot,” she explained.

As for the rest of the roster, including Mercedes Russell, Sami Whitcomb, Victoria Vivians, and Joyner Holmes, they are also unrestricted free agents. Bird pointed out that the Valkyries could only pick one unrestricted free agent league-wide, so once they landed on Monique Billings, Seattle was off the hook.

Far from being a “slap in the face,” the W legend saw this as a win for Seattle. “If anything, you could argue that the Storm front office did a great job to be set up this way,” she said. The roster was built to minimize losses during the draft, and while some fans might have taken the Valkyries’ decisions personally, Bird viewed it as a calculated move by the management.

Then, obviously, came the big story surrounding the Storm. 2x WNBA champion Jewell Loyd has been the face of the franchise for nearly a decade, so her reported trade request has shaken the league. Loyd’s request reportedly came after she filed a complaint against the coaching staff, which led to an external investigation. 

While the probe found no policy violations, the fallout seems far from over. With just one year and $249,032 left on her contract, Loyd has reportedly set her sights on Chicago. Sue addressed the situation cautiously. “Obviously, Megan [Rapinoe] and I know what’s been going on in the news… but as part of ownership, there are just things I legally can’t speak on,” Bird said during her podcast, A Touch More.

She is just waiting for it to end and knows as much as we do through the Internet. “We did want to acknowledge it. And as an owner, did want to have that investigation finished,” the 4x WNBA Champion stated. But if Jewell Loyd does leave Seattle, where could she land? 

Could the Chicago Sky or Las Vegas Aces be Loyd’s next stop?

Two teams seem like natural fits for the Storm star: the Las Vegas Aces and the Chicago Sky. The Aces are already a powerhouse but could be facing a major shakeup with Kelsey Plum’s free agency nearing. If Las Vegas doesn’t extend Plum, a trade for Loyd could fill the gap seamlessly. 

At 31, the baller still has plenty to offer, bringing veteran experience and championship pedigree to a team hungry for another Finals appearance. Meanwhile, a move to the Sky would be a homecoming for Loyd, who hails from Illinois, and even fans are predicting that she could take her talents to Chicago. 

Chicago is in the middle of a rebuild, and adding an experienced scorer like Loyd could accelerate the process. Pairing her with Chennedy Carter would create a solid backcourt that could dominate on both ends of the floor. Loyd’s leadership and ability to take over games would be invaluable for a young team like Sky. 

As for the Sue Bird’s Storm, they are currently in the eye of a storm. The franchise is juggling multiple challenges. But as Sue Bird put it, “We’ll all be waiting to see how it ends.”