The Los Angeles Sparks agreed Sunday to part ways with general manager Raegan Pebley after the franchise missed the WNBA playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. The team sits 10-11 and ninth in the standings, just outside playoff position, despite consecutive wins over Indiana (106-92) and Chicago (102-87). Leading scorer Kelsey Plum has been sidelined since June 21 with a leg injury.

Assistant GMs Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen will share the role on an interim basis. Pebley, a former WNBA player and longtime college coach, was hired Jan. 5, 2024, becoming the Sparks' fifth GM in franchise history and third in six years. Her tenure included drafting lottery picks Cameron Brink (No. 2) and Rickea Jackson (No. 4) in 2024, trading for Plum in 2025, and re-signing franchise icon Nneka Ogwumike. She also traded Jackson to Chicago for Ariel Atkins this season. Brink has appeared in only 48 games across three years due to injuries.

Managing partner Eric Holoman praised Pebley's roster work and player-experience improvements. Coach Lynne Roberts, hired by Pebley after Curt Miller's dismissal, is 31-34 with the team. The Sparks have cycled through GMs since Penny Toler's 2019 departure ended a run that included all three franchise titles.

The midseason change signals urgency from ownership to reverse a half-decade of postseason absence. With Plum injured and a young core still developing, Knowlton and Nielsen must stabilize the front office while Roberts navigates a tight playoff race. The next permanent hire will inherit a roster built around Ogwumike, Plum, and Brink — but only if the organization can finally provide continuity at the top.