Front office failures are nothing new for the WNBA. Somehow, teams always get it wrong! From frequent dismissals at Chicago, to the Aces potentially letting Kelsey Plum walk away, there is a recurring issue in the W. Giving the credit where credit is due, the Las Vegas Aces will at least get value back for their guard. That’s not always the case, however. A great example to look at for a horrendous front office blunder is Candace Parker and the LA Sparks from five years ago.

On ESPN’s The Elle Duncan Show, show hosts Duncan and Ari Chambers gave their thoughts on the current free-agency market. “I know that we’re probably gonna talk about what core means, but the reason for that designation and the importance of it, we saw it play out when the Sparks front office literally let Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray walk away with having no trade value for them.”

Chambers said, talking about the front-office failure from LA. “Then Candace proceeded to get a WNBA championship, and then Chelsea, and then they got it together.” 

After leaving the Sparks in 2021, Parker managed to win it all in her maiden voyage with the Chicago Sky. Gray, after signing with the Las Vegas Aces, didn’t slack off either, reaching the promised land the next year. With the Sky letting Parker walk once more, she found herself reunited with her point guard in the Sin City, and they won their next titles as teammates in 2023.

The LA Sparks had drafted Parker in 2008, just a day after she won the NCAA title. Parker, a former 6-ft-4 forward, averaged a near double-double in college, and had a seamless transition to the higher level winning the MVP trophy in her rookie season itself while also snatching the ROTY award.

The way they let her go, however, was unwise. “So to me, I’m looking back on front office fails, and that’s one of the biggest front office fails I’ve ever witnessed,” said the ESPN commentator.

Candace Parker earned a decent bit of money while playing for the Sparks. The 3x WNBA champ was earning over $100,000 per year, with her cumulative earnings in 2020 reaching the figure of $577,500. That is a lot of value and investment which saw no returns in free agency.

“So this core distinction, you see, they utilize so much more now because of that walking example of how, if you don’t get value for players, you’re left with nothing. The Sparks are still trying to rebuild from that.” 

After both Parker and Gray left LA, the Sparks were left with Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, Kristi Toliver, Brittney Sykes, and Masha Vadeeva, Te’a Cooper to rebuild not just their roster back to full strength but also bring a change in the culture.

If the LA Sparks manage to land Kelsey Plum in this off-season, they would be well on their way to build towards a deep playoff run this season. Their injured rookie Cameron Brink also looks to make a comeback. With Brink and Plum together, along with Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson, and the second overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, the Sparks might end up being genuine contenders for the WNBA title. But what about Parker? How did her career pan out after departing from the Sparks?

Candace Parker’s two late championships

In 2021, Candace Parker signed with the Chicago Sky. After spending a large part of her adolescence in Illinois, it was a nice homecoming for the WNBA vet. With the Sky, Parker enjoyed a very successful stint, winning her second championship in her maiden year with the team.

After a two year span with the Chicago Sky, Candace Parker signed with the Las Vegas Aces. Her time with the Aces was marred with a foot fracture in July 2023, which she had to undergo surgery for. Ultimately, the WNBA legend was able to win her third chip with the team, however.

Sadly, it was her last year in the W, as Candace Parker retired in early 2024. She took on broadcasting assignments, and became the Adidas brand president for women’s basketball as well.

The fact remains, however, that Candace Parker is one of the best to ever do it. Her illustrious career in the WNBA, crowned with her three championships, shows Parker’s quality of play. She impacted the hoops culture definitively during her time in the W, and inspired thousands. In retrospect, she thrived after leaving LA. The Sparks allowing her to walk in 2021 was one of their greatest mistakes, because she was simply that good.