As the trade deadline approached, a flurry of trades shook up the Major League Pickleball landscape. Several teams made moves to bolster their rosters ahead of the crucial postseason push.

Here’s a breakdown of the completed trades:

  • Trade #1
  • Columbus acquires Callie Smith
  • Utah acquires Andrea Koop and cash considerations
  • Trade #2
  • Brooklyn acquires Andrea Koop
  • Utah acquires Lina Padegimaite and cash considerations
  • Trade #3
  • California acquires Lina Padegimaite
  • Utah acquires Genie Erokhina and cash considerations
  • Trade #4
  • Arizona acquires Jessie Irvine
  • Carolina acquires Kaitlyn Christian
  • Trade #5
  • Columbus acquires Parris Todd
  • Orlando acquires Meghan Dizon and cash considerations

These trades have significant implications for the league’s playoff race, as teams jockey for position and look to make a deep postseason run. Let’s review some of the biggest storylines from these trades as teams prepare for Waiver Period 3 and the final two regular-season events in just a few weeks.

Trades 1, 5: Columbus starts over in women’s doubles

The Columbus Sliders are making a strategic change by bringing in Parris Todd and Callie Smith for a fresh women’s doubles pairing. With a 3-15 record in women’s doubles this season, it’s a move that makes sense. Both Smith and Todd are versatile players who can excel on either side, so it will be intriguing to see how they divide their roles on the court.

In addition to teaming up with Riley Newman, Columbus is also on the lookout for a new male player to fill the spot left by Jay Devilliers, who will be sidelined for the rest of 2024 due to a knee injury.

While the identity of the replacement player remains uncertain, I anticipate that Newman and Todd will team up for mixed doubles, given their successful history together. They secured a silver medal at the 2023 PPA Atlanta Open, and if they join forces again for the Sliders, they could be poised for even more success.

Trades 1-3: Utah loads up on cash (again)

Continuing a season-long trend, the Utah Black Diamonds have once again come out ahead financially after making multiple trades. On Sunday, they secured cash considerations in all three trades, following their earlier deal with the Orlando Squeeze where they received $50,000 along with Jay Devilliers in exchange for Tyson McGuffin.

This financial boost is significant, especially with the Black Diamonds Pickleball Center set to open in the summer of 2025.

On the court, owner Connor Pardoe has announced that the team plans to add a female player from the waiver wire for the final regular-season event. The Black Diamonds will miss Callie Smith and wish her luck in Columbus, but they’re committed to strengthening their roster for next season by bringing in a new female player.

This likely means that Genie Erokhina will no longer be on the Black Diamonds’ roster after Wednesday.

Trades 2, 3: New homes for Koop, Padegimaite

Andrea Koop and Lina Padegimaite are both joining new teams after being traded twice right before the deadline.

Koop will be playing for the Brooklyn Aces alongside Pablo Tellez, Daniel de la Rosa, and Layne Sleeth. While it’s too early to determine the mixed doubles pairings for the Aces—especially after changes made this weekend in Virginia Beach—I’m intrigued by the idea of pairing Koop with Tellez. Koop has found success with lefties this year, notably winning silver in women’s doubles with Jade Kawamoto at the PPA Atlanta Open in May. Although women’s and mixed doubles require different skills, teaming her with another lefty like Tellez could be promising.

Padegimaite will be joining the California Black Bears, alongside Chris Haworth, Brandon French, and Amanda Hendry. It seems that Hendry and Haworth developed solid chemistry towards the end of the MLP Virginia Beach, highlighted by a win over the Miami Pickleball Club’s Eric Oncins and Milan Rane. I anticipate that Padegimaite will team up with French for her first match with California.

With frequent roster changes, the Black Bears have faced challenges in securing consistent wins this season. It will be interesting to see if Padegimaite can help them finish strong in Las Vegas.

Trade 4: Carolina, AZ both improve

Let’s start with Kaitlyn Christian and Carolina. Christian will be joining Ben Johns, Collin Johns, and Brooke Buckner on a Carolina team that is currently in seventh place in the Premier level standings, just outside playoff contention.

Carolina has faced significant challenges in DreamBreakers, with a 1-6 record so far, but adding Christian should provide a boost. The former No. 38-ranked women’s doubles player on the WTA Tour has already secured six singles medals in 2024, making her a valuable addition to the squad.

Winning in those DreamBreaker matches will be essential for Carolina as they aim for a late playoff push.

On the other hand, Jessie Irvine will team up with Andrei Daescu, Dylan Frazier, and Lacy Schneemann on an AZ squad currently sitting at the bottom of the standings. Irvine has had an impressive year, earning three doubles medals, including a mixed title in Salt Lake City with Gabriel Tardio.

Overall, this trade addresses the needs of both teams: Carolina gains much-needed singles support, while AZ strengthens its right-side presence. We’ll see who benefits more when Carolina and AZ face off at MLP Las Vegas, scheduled for October 14-16.

Trade 5: Dizon, David back together in Central Florida

With Parris Todd now on Columbus, Vivienne David will team up with Meghan Dizon for women’s doubles in Orlando. The two have previously played together on the PPA Tour, even winning a silver medal at the 2023 Onix Austin Open. Dizon, known for her right-side skills, played on the left during that tournament, and I expect her to continue in that position with David.

In mixed doubles, I anticipate Dizon will partner with Tyson McGuffin while David teams up with Federico Staksrud. This marks a bit of a ‘full circle’ moment for Dizon and McGuffin, as they began the year playing together on the PPA Tour and secured a bronze medal at the season-opening Hyundai Masters.

You can find the latest Premier and Challenger team rosters on the MLP website.