Jewell Loyd shocked the WNBA world in December 2024 when she requested a trade after nearly a decade with the Seattle Storm. The two-time champion and 2015 first overall pick wanted Las Vegas as her new home. What looked like a blockbuster three-team deal that would benefit everyone has turned into a nightmare for the Aces. Now fans are questioning whether Loyd belongs in Vegas at all.
Was The Jewell Loyd Trade A Downgrade? Fans Think So
The Aces and Loyd partnership looked unstoppable on paper, but the 2025 season tells a different story. Friday’s brutal loss to the Minnesota Lynx exposed the harsh reality. Loyd went 0-10 from the field and scored zero points in what can only be described as an abysmal performance. For a player who was supposed to elevate this team, the zeros on the stat sheet speak volumes.
Jewell Loyd tonight:
0 PTS
0-10 FG
0-4 3PT
0 FTAAces lose to the Lynx by 31.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) July 26, 2025
The fan reaction has been swift and merciless. Social media erupted with frustration, with one person writing, “She should go ahead and retire it’s over,” followed by a crying face emoji.
She should go ahead and retire it’s over 😭
— 💜 (@thefutxre) July 26, 2025
Another fan wrote, “Aces need to blow this team up.”
Aces need to blow this team up.
— Keenan (@KeenanRIVALS) July 26, 2025
The desperation reached peak levels when fans began sharing crying pictures of Will Smith as part of their plea to get Loyd off the roster.
GET HER OFF MY TEAM I BEG!!!! pic.twitter.com/9TTyeK4daZ
— Frieza’s Burner (@King_Cold_Son) July 26, 2025
However, the harshest criticism centered on what the Aces gave up to get Loyd. Multiple fans questioned whether letting Kelsey Plum leave for Loyd was the right move.
Let plum walk for this smh
— Gardy ♐️ (@GardyGaston) July 26, 2025
The sentiment grew stronger as more fans called the Plum-Loyd trade a downgrade.
Replacing Plum with Loyd is an all time downgrade
— Matt (@JerseySuave4) July 26, 2025
Not everyone piled on the criticism. A few supporters wondered if something deeper was affecting Loyd’s performance.
I personally think she’s going through something. Something not right.
— B (@ItsJustB_01) July 26, 2025
One fan genuinely thought there must be something wrong going on in Loyd’s life.
What’s Happening With Jewell Loyd In Vegas?
The plan was simple: bring Loyd to Vegas as the perfect complement to A’ja Wilson. Her offensive skills and Wilson’s dominance should have created an unstoppable duo. Instead, the chemistry remains elusive.
Loyd has shown flashes of her Seattle brilliance this season, but consistency has been missing. That inconsistency puts the Aces in a tough spot when it comes to competing for another championship.
The numbers tell a troubling story. Since her rookie season, when she averaged 10.7 points, her lowest scoring output had been 11 points per game. This season has brought multiple games where she’s scored 10 or fewer points, a concerning trend that’s become more frequent over the last three years. The adjustment rumors were manageable, but Friday’s shutout amplified every concern about her fit in Vegas.
Too much has changed for Loyd in one season. Her role shifted, the system demands different things, and her rhythm might have suffered as a result. She’s gone from 16.8 shots per game in Seattle to just 9.8 with the Aces. For a player with her ball-handling skills and scoring instincts, she looks uncomfortable in Vegas, shooting just 37.9% from the field.
Playing behind Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young has created an unfamiliar pecking order. Loyd hasn’t been herself for quite some time.
The solution might require getting back to Loyd’s strengths. The Aces need to create more opportunities for her to find her rhythm. Running specific plays, setting screens, calling pin-downs, and allowing her to take the lead occasionally could help restore the player Seattle fans remember. Right now, that version of Loyd feels like a distant memory.
