The Seattle Storm acquired Li Yueru this offseason as part of a three-team deal that sent Jewell Loyd to Vegas, Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and the No. 2 overall pick to the Storm.
Li wasn't the main prize in that deal, but there was some hope that she could be a key reserve for the team. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.
The main assumption at the time the deal was made was that point guard Olivia Miles would be the No. 2 pick and that Li would see time as the third big behind Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor. That didn't turn out to be the case, as Miles transferred to TCU rather than declare for the draft and the Storm used the pick on a young big, Dominique Malonga.
While Malonga isn't playing quite as much as Li, her presence on the roster presents a complication and has been one of the factors limiting Li's playing time. The end result of this? A trade request.
Why Li Yueru is requesting a trade from the Seattle Storm
On Wednesday, sources confirmed to ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel that Li Yueru had requested a trade from the Seattle Storm.
The Chinese big has appeared in all eight games this season, averaging 9.1 minutes per game. She's averaging just 2.9 points per game on 30.0 percent shooting, though she has shot the ball well from deep in her limited minutes.
The lack of playing time definitely plays into why Li has requested to be traded, but a lot of WNBA players don't get minutes. Why is Li the one to request a trade?
China.
Okay, let me explain.
You've probably heard that a number of WNBA players will be taking part in Eurobasket this summer, a competition that features the top nations in Europe competing. Many international players will head to Europe for the competition.
But in July, there's another major tournament, the FIBA Women's Asia Cup. Journalist Robert F. Rodrigues reported last month that Li would be skipping Asia Cup to stay in the WNBA this season.
However, Rodrigues reported on Wednesday that Li's decision to skip Asia Cup was partially due to her — and the Chinese national team 's — expectation that she would have a larger role in Seattle this season. ESPN confirmed that the Chinese national team played a role in this, writing that "the Chinese federation prefers Li get more playing time if she is to remain in the WNBA."
Essentially, Li is skipping a major international tournament because she was expected to play a key role in Seattle. She isn't playing a key role, so she has requested a trade in hopes of finding a situation where she can get minutes.
Where could Li Yueru be traded?
What teams should be in on a Li trade? It's hard to say, because a lot of rosters feel pretty set when it comes to bigs, but two names come to mind: Phoenix and Dallas.
The Mercury have gotten by with undrafted rookie Kathryn Westbeld at the five while waiting on Natasha Mack to return, but Li would likely be able to give the team more than Kalani Brown is. The problem is that Brown has a protected contract, so it's possible that a move like this just wouldn't be able to work out financially.
But what about Brown's most recent former team, the Dallas Wings?
Li's ability to stretch the floor would likely appeal to head coach Chris Koclanes. It's clear that Dallas doesn't view Teaira McCowan as a key part of the team's future, as she's coming off the bench while the Wings essentially start a frontcourt with two power forwards. Luisa Geiselsöder has played in just three games for the Wings as the fourth big. Li could easily carve out a sizable role in Dallas.