Former No. 1 WNBA draft pick Jewell Loyd is reportedly seeking a move away from the Seattle Storm.
Loyd, who has starred for the Storm since she was drafted in 2015, requested a trade out of Seattle on Wednesday, according to a report from Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Loyd's trade request comes on the heels of the conclusion of an external investigation into the Storm. Loyd, Costabile reports, was at the center of that investigation after filing a complaint against the coaching staff in which she detailed practices of harassment and bullying.
The Storm retained an outside investigator to look into the allegations and concluded Wednesday that there were no findings of discrimination, harassment or bullying, according to ESPN's Kevin Pelton.
Loyd, 31, made her fourth consecutive All-Star appearance in 2024, and the sixth of her career. She averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while leading Seattle to a 25–15 record, the third-winningest season in franchise history.
She signed a two-year supermax contract with Seattle in 2023 which is set to expire after the upcoming '25 season. Loyd has led the Storm in scoring in each of the last two seasons, having taken over as the face of the franchise following the departure of Breanna Stewart after the '22 campaign.
There figure to be plenty of teams interested in acquiring a dynamic scorer like Loyd, who boasts three All-WNBA selections during her 10 years in the league.
As for the Storm, a roster overhaul could be on the horizon given the WNBA's expansion draft is just around the corner and their franchise cornerstone is seeking the exit door. A trade involving Loyd could potentially kickstart a rebuild, should the organization choose to go in that direction.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Storm All-Star Jewell Loyd Requests Trade After Investigation Into Coaching Staff.
