The Washington Mystics have traded second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards to the Connecticut Sun for Jacy Sheldon and a potential pick swap, the teams announced on Thursday ahead of the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
The Mystics can choose to keep their 2026 first-rounder, which they acquired from the Minnesota Lynx, or take the Sun's 2026 first-round pick, acquired from the New York Liberty.
Edwards spent her first two WNBA seasons at Washington after a successful collegiate career at UConn. The Mystics drafted the 23-year-old with the sixth overall pick in 2024. As a rookie, she appeared in 34 games with 17 starts and averaged 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. This season, Edwards has been out of the starting lineup. In 21 games, she's averaged 6 points and 3.3 boards per game.
"Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it's a statement about where we're headed as a franchise," Sun general manager Morgan Tuck said in a statement. "Aaliyah is a transformational talent with the mindset and drive that aligns with our vision of building a championship culture. What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes.
"Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we're ready to build that future together."
Sheldon, meanwhile, heads to her third team in 16 months. She's averaging 7.5 points, 2 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 28 games for Connecticut. Sheldon was drafted one slot ahead of Edwards in 2024 by the Dallas Wings before she was traded to the Sun last offseason.
"We are excited to welcome Jacy to the Mystics and think her skill set, energy, and team-first approach will be a great fit for us," Mystics general manager Jamila Wideman said in a statement.
"She is a competitor and leads through the example of her work ethic. She has built on her solid rookie campaign and demonstrated an ability to shoot the ball and read the game on both ends of the court."
This trade follows the Mystics dealing Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke and a 2026 first-round pick earlier this week.
Washington's rebuild continues around its rookie stars Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, while the team sits 10th in the league with a 13-16 record. Connecticut sits at the bottom of the league at 5-23 while facing uncertainty over a team sale.
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