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On Wednesday afternoon, the Seattle Storm announced the conclusion of the external investigation into allegations of harassment by the coaching staff, with, in a statement provided to ESPN, “no findings of policy violations or any discrimination, harassment, or bullying.”

Shortly thereafter, Annie Costabile of The Chicago Sun-Times reported that, according to multiple sources, Jewell Loyd has requested a trade from the Storm. Costabile reports that Loyd “was at the center of the team’s investigation after she filed a complaint detailing allegations of harassment and bullying by the Storm’s coaching staff.” ESPN’s Alexa Philippou further clarified that, per a source, “it was Loyd who filed the complaint detailing the allegations against the Seattle staff.”

Drafted by Seattle with the No. 1 pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft, Loyd has spent her entire career with the Storm, collecting six All-Star and three All-WNBA selections, winning two championships and leading the league in scoring in 2023.

After the 2023 season, when she bore a heavy load for an 11-29 Storm team transitioning away from an era defined by Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart, Loyd signed a two-year contract extension with the Storm, a commitment to the organization that encouraged free agents Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith to sign in Seattle. While reports of the discord within the Storm cited both Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith, with Ogwumike perceived as too cozy with the coaching staff and Diggins-Smith’s leadership style rumored to have rubbed teammates the wrong way, Philippou notes that, according to her source, “Loyd’s complaint had nothing to do with either star player.”

Costabile suggests that “Loyd’s trade request will serve as the catalyst for the Storm’s roster overhaul.” That overhaul will begin as soon as Friday, when the Golden State Valkyries will select one of Seattle’s unprotected players in the Expansion Draft.