Source – Jewell Loyd asks Storm to trade once investigation is complete

SEATTLE – All-Star guard Jewell Loyd has requested a trade from the Seattle Storm, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

Loyd’s trade request, first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, comes hours after the Storm announced that an external investigation into reported allegations of harassment and bullying by the team’s coaching staff had been completed with no findings of violations.

The source confirmed to ESPN that it was Loyd who filed the complaint detailing the allegations against the Seattle employees.

“The Storm recently received internal allegations of possible workplace policy violations,” the team said in a statement to ESPN. “The organization hired an outside investigator to conduct an impartial investigation into the allegations. The investigation was completed and there were no findings of policy violations or discrimination, harassment or bullying.”

“To protect the integrity of the process and maintain confidentiality, we have chosen not to comment while the investigation is ongoing. The Storm will continue to provide a work environment where all individuals are treated with respect.”

The Sun-Times first reported the investigation on Nov. 15, which was subsequently confirmed by ESPN. According to the Sun-Times report, the investigation was prompted by the experience of several players and had been active for at least two weeks at this point.

Loyd, a six-time All-Star and three-time All-WNBA selection, was drafted by the organization in 2015 and helped the Storm to WNBA titles in 2018 and 2020. She developed into one of the league’s best guards, leading the WNBA in scoring in 2023 and is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with USA Basketball.

Loyd signed a two-year extension in September 2023, returning as Seattle’s centerpiece as the franchise identity changed following the departures of Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) and Sue Bird (retirement) earlier this year.

Loyd’s return helped sign numerous free agents through 2024, including Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith. The source said Loyd’s complaint had nothing to do with either star player.

With Loyd, Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith, the Storm went 25-15 and returned to the playoffs after a year-long hiatus, but were eliminated in the first round after being defeated by the Las Vegas Aces. Loyd averaged 19.7 points on the season, but her shooting percentage of 36.0% was the worst of her career and her 3-point percentage of 27.4% was the second lowest.

The former Notre Dame star and Chicago native is currently signed with the Storm for $249,032 in 2025. Like most WNBA players, she is expected to become a free agent in 2026 when a new collective bargaining agreement is set to take effect.

Former WNBA player Noelle Quinn – a former teammate of Loyd from 2016 to 2018 – completed her fourth season as Seattle’s head coach in 2024. Quinn’s staff last season included former WNBA player Ebony Hoffman, former WNBA player Head Coach Pokey Chatman and Perry Huang as Assistant Coaches.

Huang, who played seven seasons with the Storm while coaching in the G League, left the team after the playoffs to become an assistant to Zach Guthrie for the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League team.

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton contributed to this report.