Sparks Dismiss Second-Year Coach Lynne Roberts Amid Continued Playoff Drought

The Los Angeles Sparks have fired coach Lynne Roberts, the team announced Friday. Roberts, who was hired from the University of Utah, went 37-51 in her two seasons in charge, and the Sparks missed the playoffs both times, extending their postseason drought to six seasons. That is both the longest active streak in the league and the longest drought in franchise history.

"We are grateful to Lynne for the commitment and determination she brought to the role, which was evident all the way through our last game last night," Sparks special advisor Farhan Zaidi said. "Lynne has cared deeply about our organization and for our players and their development. We sincerely thank her for everything she has invested in the Sparks and wish her and her family the best moving forward."

The Sparks went all-in last offseason and made a number of win-now moves that, while questioned at the time, were expected to get them back to the playoffs. They re-signed Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby , brought franchise icon Nneka Ogwumike back in free agency after a two-year sojourn in Seattle and traded Rickea Jackson for Ariel Atkins . But Plum and Cameron Brink dealt with injuries early in the season, the defense was a disaster and the team never got on track.

Eventually, with Plum and Ogwumike set to be unrestricted free agents, they pivoted to a rebuild ahead of the deadline and flipped Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani , a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. Ogwumike later announced she would retire at the end of the season.

Late on Thursday, after the Sparks blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead to the Golden State Valkyries in their finale, Roberts was asked if she'd done enough to remain in her role.

"Yeah, I think I have. I think again, we've had two tough years of injuries, and I'm not trying to blame anything on that, it's just the reality," Roberts said. "There has been a lot of change. Our president's been here … four months. So just again, so much change.

"I think what this org needs is some stability, some vision and direction, like a plan. Not that we haven't had one, but I think now that we've got people in place, just give us a goalpost and we'll march down the field in that way."

Roberts' dismissal part of sweeping changes in L.A.

Firing Roberts was the latest in a series of sweeping changes in Los Angeles that should address the critiques she raised at her press conference. For too long, the Sparks have been searching for quick fixes rather than building a long-term vision. Now, they'll have a chance to put a sustainable plan in place.

Stacy Johns, the previous CEO of Bay FC in the NWSL, was hired as the team's new president in April, just days before the season started. In July, after the team's middling start, general manager Raegan Pebley was fired and was later replaced by Ariana Andonian, the former general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers' G League affiliate.

Johns and Andonian will be able to work together to hire a new coach and rebuild the roster that will look much different next season.

2027 WNBA Draft Lottery odds order: Who has the best chance at the No. 1 pick? Jack Maloney

Plum is already gone, Ogwumike will retire and only four players have guaranteed deals for 2027: Hamby, Atkins, Brink and Erica Wheeler . Don't be surprised if the Sparks try to move some of those vets either to build around Brink, Akoa Makani and their upcoming lottery picks.

Whichever coach the Sparks hire to replace Roberts should be one they expect to be around for a long-term project, because it's going to take years to get back into playoff contention.

Sparks will have two lottery picks in 2027 draft

The good news for the Sparks is that they'll have two lottery picks this year to start the rebuild process -- their own and the Mercury's. The league has not yet announced the new lottery odds, but those two picks will have the worst and second-worst odds at the No. 1 pick.

Winning the lottery and getting a chance to select USC star JuJu Watkins may be a long shot, but this is a deep draft and the Sparks should add two talented players no matter where their picks land. That this class is heavy on perimeter players is particularly good news, as they need backcourt talent to pair with Brink.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/sparks-fire-coach-lynne-roberts-wnba/)._