NWSL news: Lynn Williams reportedly dealt in shock trade, Trinity Rodman talks relationship with father and more

NWSL news: Laura Harvey and Seattle Reign make early waves, deal for star USWNT forward Lynn Williams in reported trade with NJ/NY Gotham FC

Major League Baseball hot stove move over. The National Women's Soccer League's offseason is heating up. The league's all-time leading scorer is rumored to be on the move. After playing the majority of her club career on the East Coast, the USWNT superstar forward Lynn Williams is headed back West to link up with Laura Harvey and the Seattle Reign, per Dan Lauletta.

According to Jenna Tonelli, Williams "wished to finish her career on the west coast". As of the time of writing, nothing has been confirmed, nor do we know what is going in Gotham's direction.

Williams, who played her college soccer at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, is a four-time NWSL champion, former league MVP and an Olympic gold and bronze medalist. She has been with the New Jersey outfit since January 2023 when Kansas City Current included her in a Draft Day trade for a top-two selection.

The Frisco native competed in 35 league games for Gotham throughout two seasons, tallying 15 regular-season goal involvements. Let's not forget her goal to open up the 2023 NWSL Championship against the Reign, a moment that'll surely go down in Gotham lore.

Seattle had just one player net more than three goals last season. And that was Bethany Balcer, who the franchise traded to Racing Louisville over the summer. Williams will join the likes of Canadian Jordyn Huitema and the great Swiss attacker Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic up front in Washington state. She'll provide a welcomed boost to a team that performed well below expectations compared to the kind of success Seattle has produced in the past.

It is worth noting that the Reign failed to score in five out of its last seven games. Solution: trade for the league's most consistent goal scorer. It remains to be seen if Williams will play within a duel striker pairing alongside Huitema or out wide in a potential 4-3-3.

Though it's unquestionably a hit in the talent department for Juan Carlos Amorós' side, it still had four players find the back of the net more frequently in the league than Williams in 2024. Ella Stevens and Yazmeen Ryan took massive steps forward last campaign, a trend Gotham will hope continues with its frontline now a superstar light.

NWSL news: Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman says Dennis Rodman, the five-time NBA champion, is "not a dad"

In a recent episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, USWNT and Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman didn't hold back on her feelings about her father -- the NBA's seven-time rebounding champion Dennis Rodman. While the Olympic gold medalist has been hesitant in the past to talk about the complicated relationship with her father, she finally went into some detail.

"He's not a dad," said Rodman. "Maybe by blood, but nothing else."

"Even hearing his voice is painful," she continued. "I feel like me and my brother have been very generous with the way that we've talked about it and very unselfish. I think we never want to make him look bad, and that is at the cost of holding in a lot, and a lot of issues we've gone through..."

“I think he’s an extremely selfish human being,” Rodman added. “I think everything has always been about him.”

Rodman grew up alongside her older brother D.J., who played college basketball at Washington State and USC, and her mother Michelle Moyer. The lifestyle of Trinity's father, known by many as unconventional to say the least, put a strain on the family. According to the 22-year-old soccer player, he would eventually cut the family off financially, leading them to live in a Ford Expedition at one point during her childhood. Keep in mind that her father made a reported $27 million in salary during his NBA career.

"My mom was really good at making every situation seem smoother than it actually was," Rodman expressed. "I think that's what parents do to protect their children, but I think even being young, it was like he partied all the time.

"We tried to live with him, but he's having parties 24/7, he's bringing random bitches in...I still believe my dad hasn't loved anyone after my mom...I think he doesn't know how to. I think they both felt the same way about each other, but it's just, his demons were just too strong for it."

Trinity's parents filed for divorce in 2012, as her father remained uninvolved in her rise to soccer stardom. In 2021, she was crowned the NWSL's Rookie of the Year all while playing a key role in the Spirit's championship-winning run. Three years later, she is one of the most recognizable figures in the sport, driving the Spirit's bounce-back campaign and helping the USWNT win gold in France all just this year.

NWSL news: Bay FC and Utah Royals agree to exchange, sending defensive-minded midfielder Alex Loera to Jimmy Coenraets' team

After just four games donning the Bay FC colors, versatile midfielder Alex Loera is Utah-bound. The NorCal side came to an agreement with Utah Royals FC, sending Loera to the Beehive State in exchange for $25,000 in intra-league transfer fees plus a 15 percent sell-on fee.

The Santa Clara product was Bay's first-ever player signing. The club acquired Loera via trade from the Kansas City Current on Nov.15 of last year for expansion draft protection and $175,000 in allocation money. She grew up just East of Utah, in Colorado, a state that is known for producing women's soccer standouts. Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson are just three of the others.

The 25-year-old player, who started out as a defender in the league before converting to a deep lying midfielder, was absent for the majority of last season due to a torn ACL she suffered in late April. Across three seasons in the league, Loera has recorded eight goal contributions -- seven of which are assists -- in 34 league games played. Kansas City's leading assister in 2023 adds a new layer to Utah's midfield alongside the talents of Claudia Zornoza and Macey Fraser.

“We are really excited to bring Alex to the club.” the club's Sporting Director Kelly Cousins said via the club's release. “Her ability has already been shown at this level and we can’t wait to see it again. She is a player that is really going to complement the players we have already. I’m looking forward to having her a part of the squad and helping us grow in 2025.”

There is nothing negative of note from Utah's perspective about this move. Loera is a leader, an incredibly technical line-breaking midfielder and someone who can switch back into the defensive line seamlessly if asked.