The WNBA logo on a ball (Photo By Jennifer Buchanan-Imagn Images)
Li Yueru is on the move again, or at least trying to be. The 6-foot-7 center has only played eight WNBA games with the Seattle Storm since her trade from the Los Angeles Sparks, but she’s already asking out. According to a report by Chinese media outlet Sina, later confirmed by multiple American sources, Yueru’s representatives have formally requested another trade.

This marks the second time in less than 18 months that the 26-year-old has pushed to leave a team. While her reasoning is centered around a desire for more minutes on the floor, the numbers don’t exactly back up the case.

Yueru is averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in just over nine minutes per game this season, two minutes fewer than her career average. That’s not exactly the kind of production that forces a team’s hand.

Not Much Leverage To Work With

Seattle might entertain the idea of a deal, especially since they could use help on the wing. But they’re not likely to get much in return for a backup center whose track record is inconsistent. Yueru’s request comes on the heels of her most productive game of the season, where she knocked down two three-pointers. Whether that boosted her confidence or simply made her feel underutilized is unclear, but the timing raised some eyebrows.

The real concern for any team considering her is the pattern that’s starting to form. She joined the WNBA in 2022 with the Chicago Sky and missed all of 2023 due to an injury suffered overseas. Chicago then shipped her to Los Angeles, who turned around and dealt her to Seattle in a multi-team deal this past offseason.
Seattle Storm center Li Yueru (Photo By Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
Now, barely three months into her Storm stint, she wants out again.

It’s not unheard of for players to ask for more opportunity. But in this case, the optics don’t work in her favor. Most front offices would hesitate to take on a player who has demanded two trades in quick succession without the kind of stats to justify it. Think of it this way: this would be like Jonathan Isaac asking out of two teams in two seasons because he felt underused, even though he logs significantly more minutes than Yueru.

Seattle has a choice to make. They can grant her wish and move her again, or keep her around and clarify that minutes have to be earned, not demanded. Either way, they’re not risking much. Yueru’s production is replaceable, and right now, so is she.