The New York Liberty have traded Kia Nurse and Megan Walker to the Phoenix Mercury for the sixth overall pick in 2021 and a 2022 first-round pick, the teams announced Wednesday.

The Liberty then flipped their own 2021 first-rounder and the Mercury's 2022 pick to the Seattle Storm for 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard.

New York also acquired guard Sami Whitcomb from Seattle via sign-and-trade for the rights to forward Stephanie Talbot.

Howard's acquisition gives New York a talented core duo consisting of the three-time WNBA champion alongside Sabrina Ionescu, the top selection in the 2020 draft.