The Golden State Valkyries traded LSU guard Flau'Jae Johnson to the Seattle Storm during the 2026 WNBA Draft for TCU forward Marta SuĂĄrez and a 2028 second-round pick. The trade surprised many, raising questions about the Valkyries' strategy and the Storm's fortune.
The Golden State Valkyries and Seattle Storm pulled off a bizarre trade during Monday night's 2026 WNBA Draft.
To a lot of shock in the room in New York City, the Valkyries traded LSU guard Flau'Jae Johnson to the Storm at the top of the second round for TCU forward Marta SuĂĄrez and a 2028 second rounder.
Simply put, this is a shocker for everyone involved. Why didn't Golden State just take SuĂĄrez, unless that 2028 second rounder is a coveted asset for the Valkyries? How lucky is Seattle here?
We love this for one team, but for the other, we're confounded as to how it got here. Here are our grades.
Somehow, the Storm traded for Johnson in the second round with Golden State and only gave up its selection in the second round and a 2028 second rounder to facilitate the deal. Johnson is going to likely start right away for the Storm and could develop into a star with Seattle. We absolutely love this for everyone involved.
TRADE AND PLAYER GRADE: A
The Valkyries traded for SuĂĄrez and added a 2028 second rounder in a bizarre trade that sent Flau'Jae Johnson to the Storm. We're perplexed as to how in the world this happened. However, SuĂĄrez will fit right in with what Golden State likes to do. Think about what Chloe Bibby gave Golden State in a limited sample last year. However, the process is as perplexing as anything we've seen in a professional draft in quite some time. How odd.
TRADE GRADE: C-
PLAYER GRADE: A-
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Flau'Jae Johnson trade grades: Analyzing Valkyries-Storm WNBA Draft deal
The Valkyries received TCU forward Marta SuĂĄrez and a 2028 second-round pick in exchange for Flau'Jae Johnson.
The trade was surprising because it involved a high-profile player like Johnson and raised questions about the Valkyries' decision-making and strategy.
The addition of Flau'Jae Johnson enhances the Seattle Storm's roster, providing them with a talented guard to strengthen their lineup.
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