The Washington Mystics are stirring the pot, and fans are eating it up. With the WNBA trade deadline hitting the block, and the team sitting at a scrappy 13-15, they’ve dropped a bombshell move. The already struggling Mystics traded their star guard, Brittney Sykes, to the Seattle Storm for veteran Alysha Clark and guard Zia Cooke. Additionally, they will also get a 2026 first-round pick.
Though this wasn’t a typical trade-deadline shuffle. The Mystics, fresh off a draft that had heads turning, are playing chess, not checkers. They have their eyes set way beyond this season’s playoff chase. And apparently, Sykes’ trade was to pave a way for a 2025 WNBA Draft pick nursing her ACL injury.
Mystics Went Full Throttle With Brittney Sykes’ Trade
The Mystics picked Georgia Amoore sixth overall during this year’s draft. She was all set to suit up in the Washington colours. But her unfortunate fate had her injured in the team’s training camp. The ACL injury sidelined Amoore for the whole of the 2025 WNBA season.
Breaking: The Seattle Storm have acquired Brittney Sykes from the Washington Mystics in exchange for Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke and Seattle's 2026 first-round draft pick, the Storm announced. pic.twitter.com/S32nVeptnM
— ESPN (@espn) August 5, 2025
While it was a tough blow for a young draftee, the team showed confidence in her, even if it meant waiting through this season. Despite not clocking a single minute in the WNBA yet, the Mystics decided on Sykes’ trade. And making the roster fit for the rookie next season. According to High Post Hoops, the team has a crystal clear picture of the young roster moving forward.
The veteran guard was their go-to player before the trade. She was dropping 15.4 points and 4.3 assists a game, and even snagged an All-Star spot in 2025 when Caitlin Clark got hurt. Sending her to Seattle for Clark, a savvy vet with a smaller role, Cooke (who was later waived), and a future pick is a clear sign they’re looking ahead.
Amoore, a 5’6” dynamo from Kentucky who averaged 19.6 points and 6.9 assists in college, was drafted to be a star point guard. Her ACL tear, which needs 9-12 months to heal, hasn’t changed the Mystics’ belief that she’s their future.
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Mystics Building Around Amoore After Brittney Sykes Trade
With the bold move, the Mystics have their pieces played perfectly. Earlier, they hit the jackpot in 2025 with Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, both All-Stars already making names. But moving Sykes opens up space for Amoore to shine in the backcourt next year. And maybe alongside second-rounder Lucy Olsen, who’s now getting more minutes.
The Mystics are all about their young guns right now. Citron and Iriafen, picked third and fourth, are proving they can hang with the WNBA’s best. Additionally, Shakira Austin’s comeback has added some muscle up front.
Amoore’s injury left a hole at point guard, and Sykes stepped up big time, but at 31, she didn’t fit the long-term vibe of a team with seven players under 25. Trading her makes room for Amoore to take over in 2026 without a crowded backcourt.