Final Call: How MLP Teams Reshuffled Before the Trade Market Closed
The clock doesn't lie. Today, Sunday, July 12, at 8:00 PM ET, Major League Pickleball's Trade Window #2 officially closes — and with it, the last chance for the league's 20 franchises to reinforce their rosters, shed expensive pieces, or simply panic before the final stretch toward August's playoffs.
It's no coincidence the deadline falls today. It was originally set for June 30, but the league strategically moved it to coincide with the close of the Edward Jones Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan — the event that brings all 20 league teams under one roof. The result: a week of pickleball with on-court drama and boardroom drama unfolding side by side.
The Trade That Made History
The biggest move of this window wasn't just large — it was historic. MLP announced the first four-team trade in league history, connecting Chicago Slice, St. Louis Shock, Texas Ranchers, and Atlanta Bouncers in a single deal. That kind of maneuver, common in leagues like the NBA but unprecedented until now in professional pickleball, is a clear signal that MLP is maturing as a sports business — general managers are already thinking in multi-team packages, not just straight swaps.
The trade broke down as follows:
Chicago receives Elsie Hendershot from St. Louis
St. Louis receives Angie Walker and cash from Texas
Texas receives Kaitlyn Christian and cash from Atlanta
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Two other notable moves rounded out the window:
Bay Area Breakers ↔ California Black Bears, with players and cash considerations changing hands
A three-team trade between Bay Area Breakers, Las Vegas Night Owls, and Miami Pickleball Club
The Winners: Paddletek Group Plants Its Flag
If there's one organization that walked out of this window stronger than it walked in, it's Paddletek Group. The company — which also owns ProXR and now PIKKL — signed a group of stars that includes JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Julie Johnson, and the aforementioned Hurricane Tyra Black. It's a move that goes beyond any single team's roster: Paddletek Group, backed by Thirty-5 Capital (the same fund that owns the Chicago Slice), is positioning itself as a player with interests in both equipment and athlete representation — a trend worth watching closely in the coming months.
Columbus Sliders, the defending champions, also enter the winners' conversation: adding Tyra Black could be the missing piece they need to defend their title in August.
The Ones Falling Apart: Not Everyone Survives
Here's the less glamorous side of this window, and likely the one that generates the most conversation among fans: not every team is going to keep existing.
Nashville Chefs and DC Pickleball Team are exploring sale agreements and will not play in 2026. All their players move directly into the league's free agent draft pool.
The NY Hustlers are merging in ownership with the Brooklyn Pickleball Team — Brooklyn will keep operating as normal, but the Hustlers brand, as fans knew it, disappears from the map.
For a league that just a few years ago was fighting to prove its franchise model could work, watching entire teams dissolve or merge is a sign the business is still finding its footing — even as other indicators (viewership, sponsorships, Apollo Sports Capital's $225 million investment) point upward.
What's Next
With the window closing tonight, all 20 franchises head into the final stretch of the regular season with the rosters they'll carry into the playoffs. MLP continues its calendar with stops in San Diego, Chicago, and Orlando through the rest of July, ahead of a postseason expanded to three weeks and 12 teams in August.
The question left hanging: will this window's moves — the historic four-team trade, Paddletek Group's offensive, the Nashville and DC exits — actually show up on the court, or will they end up as footnotes once the playoffs begin? We'll find out soon.
The clock doesn't lie. Today, Sunday, July 12, at 8:00 PM ET, Major League Pickleball's Trade Window #2 officially closes — and with it, the last chance for the league's 20 franchises to reinforce their rosters, shed expensive pieces, or simply panic before the final stretch toward August's playoffs.
It's no coincidence the deadline falls today. It was originally set for June 30, but the league strategically moved it to coincide with the close of the Edward Jones Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan — the event that brings all 20 league teams under one roof. The result: a week of pickleball with on-court drama and boardroom drama unfolding side by side.
The Trade That Made History
The biggest move of this window wasn't just large — it was historic. MLP announced the first four-team trade in league history, connecting Chicago Slice, St. Louis Shock, Texas Ranchers, and Atlanta Bouncers in a single deal. That kind of maneuver, common in leagues like the NBA but unprecedented until now in professional pickleball, is a clear signal that MLP is maturing as a sports business — general managers are already thinking in multi-team packages, not just straight swaps.
The trade broke down as follows:
Chicago receives Elsie Hendershot from St. Louis
St. Louis receives Angie Walker and cash from Texas
Texas receives Kaitlyn Christian and cash from Atlanta
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
Two other notable moves rounded out the window:
Bay Area Breakers ↔ California Black Bears, with players and cash considerations changing hands
A three-team trade between Bay Area Breakers, Las Vegas Night Owls, and Miami Pickleball Club
The Winners: Paddletek Group Plants Its Flag
If there's one organization that walked out of this window stronger than it walked in, it's Paddletek Group. The company — which also owns ProXR and now PIKKL — signed a group of stars that includes JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Julie Johnson, and the aforementioned Hurricane Tyra Black. It's a move that goes beyond any single team's roster: Paddletek Group, backed by Thirty-5 Capital (the same fund that owns the Chicago Slice), is positioning itself as a player with interests in both equipment and athlete representation — a trend worth watching closely in the coming months.
Columbus Sliders, the defending champions, also enter the winners' conversation: adding Tyra Black could be the missing piece they need to defend their title in August.
The Ones Falling Apart: Not Everyone Survives
Here's the less glamorous side of this window, and likely the one that generates the most conversation among fans: not every team is going to keep existing.
Nashville Chefs and DC Pickleball Team are exploring sale agreements and will not play in 2026. All their players move directly into the league's free agent draft pool.
The NY Hustlers are merging in ownership with the Brooklyn Pickleball Team — Brooklyn will keep operating as normal, but the Hustlers brand, as fans knew it, disappears from the map.
For a league that just a few years ago was fighting to prove its franchise model could work, watching entire teams dissolve or merge is a sign the business is still finding its footing — even as other indicators (viewership, sponsorships, Apollo Sports Capital's $225 million investment) point upward.
What's Next
With the window closing tonight, all 20 franchises head into the final stretch of the regular season with the rosters they'll carry into the playoffs. MLP continues its calendar with stops in San Diego, Chicago, and Orlando through the rest of July, ahead of a postseason expanded to three weeks and 12 teams in August.
The question left hanging: will this window's moves — the historic four-team trade, Paddletek Group's offensive, the Nashville and DC exits — actually show up on the court, or will they end up as footnotes once the playoffs begin? We'll find out soon.
