Since opening up the WNBA free agency period with a blockbuster trade for All-Star Kelsey Plum, the Los Angeles Sparks have continued to fill out their roster with veteran free agents. The Sparks made another reported signing in WNBA free agency this week with the addition of Mercedes Russell, as per Richard Cohen of Her Hoop Stats.

Mercedes Russell’s new free agency contact with the Sparks is for a reported one year and around $160,000, as per Cohen. Russell’s addition gives the Sparks 14 players on their current roster. They are allowed to bring up to 18 players in training camp.

Russell’s contract is apparently unprotected, so she will have to essentially make the team in training camp. The Sparks current depth chart at center has Cameron Brink as the probable starter, with Azurá Stevens as the backup who can alternate between the four and the five.

Following the Plum trade, the Sparks’ other offseason moves have been to add depth around the main core. They plan to have Julie Allemand in camp after an injury kept her out for all of last season. They will also bring over 2023 second round pick Shaneice Swain who is an intriguing option at guard.

By the time the regular season begins, the Sparks must cut their roster down to maximum of 12 players, minimum of 11.

Mercedes Russell signs with Sparks

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In Russell, the Sparks get an experienced backup center who was a part of two championship teams with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and 2020.

Russell was originally selected by the New York Liberty with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. She only suited up in two games for the Liberty in her rookie season before being cut. She was immediately signed with by the Storm, and won a title in her first year in the WNBA.

Since then, Russell has played for the Storm for the past six seasons. This will be the first time since the beginning of her rookie year that she won’t be in a Storm jersey.

Last season, Russell appeared in 37 games for the Storm, including six starts, at a little over 15 minutes per game. She averaged 3.9 points and 3.0 rebounds with splits of 51.7 percent shooting from the field and 63.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

In 2019, her second season in the league, Russell finished third in the Most Improved Player voting. While the Sparks’ final roster won’t be determined for a while, Russell gives them a quality option off the bench.