Valkyries seek return to winning ways as Kelsey Plum trade rumors heat up

SAN FRANCISCO — For the third time this season, the Valkyries will step onto the court this weekend having lost two games in a row.

On the previous two occasions, a win streak followed.

As rumors swirl about potential deals entering the noon trade deadline Sunday – is the Sparks’ Kelsey Plum really a possibility for Golden State? – coach Natalie Nakase and her players are aiming to get back on a run similar to the one that briefly vaulted the second-year franchise to the best record in the WNBA a few weeks ago.

The expansion Toronto Tempo visit Chase Center on Sunday evening, seemingly a perfect opponent for a team trying to avoid its first three-game skid of the season.

When the teams met in Toronto on July 8, the Valkyries won 83-75 behind 52 points from their bench, including 26 from Janelle Salaun. The victory came amid Golden State’s franchise-best nine-game winning streak.

Since then, the Valkyries have lost two in a row, at home to Washington in Golden State’s final game before the All-Star break and at Phoenix on Wednesday in its first game after the break.

“There are some plays that we definitely wish we could get back, and we’ll watch the film,” point guard Veronica Burton said after the Phoenix game. “We will get them back.”

The losses dropped the Valkyries to third in the overall standings. The top eight teams in the league qualify for the playoffs.

Gabby Williams, Golden State’s only All-Star, missed the game against Phoenix for conditioning.

Presumably, she’ll be back Sunday.

But will anyone else soon be joining the team in a trade?

Plum continues to be rumored as a trade target for the Valkyries, although ESPN, citing an unnamed source, reported on Thursday that Golden State is hesitant to part with rotation players in exchange for the 31-year-old Sparks star.

The guard is expected to return Sunday after being sidelined since June 21 because of a lower left leg injury. Before the injury, Plum was averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game.

With the Valkyries, Plum, who will be a free agent after this season, would certainly elevate an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring.

She is also familiar with Nakase, who was on Becky Hammon’s coaching staff in Las Vegas when the All-Star helped the Aces win back-to-back titles in 2022 and ‘23.

Plum was dealt to the Sparks before last season after requesting a trade from the Aces. She later said she felt “underappreciated” on Vegas’ super team featuring fellow All-Stars Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and multi-time MVP A’ja Wilson.

Do the Valkyries need a player like Plum to win the championship?

On Wednesday, with Williams sidelined, Golden State held a 13-point lead late in the third quarter but cooled down the stretch as Phoenix won 91-89.

The result marked the second consecutive game in which the Valkyries allowed at least 90 points, which is not their blueprint for success.

Golden State has used hard-nosed defense to build its foundation but was too physical against Phoenix as the Mercury attempted 43 free throws, making 32.

“We have to be able to adjust to the way the game is being called,” Burton said. “There were a lot of fouls. We did foul a lot, so we need to be able to be aggressive and be physical without fouling.”

If they do, the Valkyries are set up for a nice run to end the season.

With 16 games to play, Golden State has the easiest remaining schedule among the WNBA’s 15 teams, according to the website tankathon.com.

By comparison, Minnesota’s is the toughest. The Lynx have the league’s best record.

The Valkyries have just five games left against teams with winning records – Minnesota (twice), Dallas (twice) and New York.

Golden State’s toughest stretch will come after back-to-back home games against Toronto, Sunday and Tuesday.

Four of the seven games after the Toronto series will be against Minnesota and Dallas.