New Delhi, Aug. 2 -- PHOENIX - The decisive question behind this trade is what Phoenix thought was going to happen next.

The Mercury sat at 11-19 when they acquired Kelsey Plum from the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday. They were six games behind the playoff line with 14 games left. Winning every remaining game wouldn't guarantee postseason entry. By any realistic measure, Phoenix's 2026 season was already over. And yet they spent a 2027 first-round pick and a promising young guard to acquire a five-time WNBA All-Star who becomes an unrestricted free agent the moment the final buzzer sounds in October.

Plum will not save the Mercury's season. What Mercury management is betting is that she might decide to stay.

The deal sent Monique Akoa ...