Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux traded in NWSL blockbuster

Abby Wambach and Sydney Leroux have been traded ... for each other. The Seattle Reign and Western New York Flash pulled off a blockbuster deal on Monday, with Wambach, Amber Brooks and a first round pick going to the Reign in exchange for Leroux and Amanda Frisbie.

The deal is peculiar because one of the centerpieces, Wambach, has said that she will not play in NWSL this season. She decided to sit out the club season in order to focus on this summer's World Cup, so the Reign traded for a player who won't take the field for them this season. After making the trade, the club acknowledged that the 34-year-old's decision, saying they support it and will be ready to welcome her to the team whenever she decides to play in NWSL again.

Leroux struggled some for the Reign last season and is now going across the country to the Flash. That's a tough blow, considering Seattle was far and away the league's best team in the regular season, while Western New York failed to make the playoffs. But maybe a new club and new teammates will get her back into peak form, something the United States will desperately be hoping in the six weeks she spends there before joining up for the Americans' World Cup training camp.