The Los Angeles Sparks acquired forward Dearica Hamby in a trade with the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
The Sparks also received the Aces’ 2024 first-round draft pick on Saturday in exchange for the negotiating rights to center Amanda Zahui B. and Los Angeles’ 2024 second-round pick.
Hamby, 29, averaged 9.3 points and 7.1 rebounds in 34 games (32 starts) with the Aces in 2022.
“Dearica has dedicated eight years of her career to this organization, and played a big role in our success since the team moved to Las Vegas,” Aces general manager Natalie Williams said in a statement. “We’re going to miss her as a teammate, and are grateful for all of her contributions to the Aces over the years.”
The two-time All-Star (2021, 2022) and two-time WNBA Sixth Player of the Year (2019, 2020) has career averages of 9.2 points and 5.6 boards in 242 games (85 starts) in eight seasons with the Aces/San Antonio Stars franchise.
There were recent signs of contention between the Aces and Hamby, who announced her pregnancy during the club’s September victory parade.
“Imagine expressing your fears as a woman and being pregnant in this profession/world… . Then to be reassured you were supported.. and your back was ‘had’… . Only to then be used against you. Lmao,” Hamby tweeted on Jan. 15.
This is the second big move this week for the Sparks under new general manager Karen Bryant and new coach Curt Miller. L.A. acquired All-Star point guard Jasmine Thomas in a trade with the Connecticut Sun.
“Adding Dearica to our roster plus a future first-round pick was a solid move for us,” Bryant said. “We’re excited to have another key piece in place as we start free agency.”
Zahui B., 29, did not play in the WNBA last season. She has career averages of 6.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 197 games (71 starts) with the Tulsa Shock (2015), New York Liberty (2016-20) and Sparks (2021).
–Field Level Media