MLP Trade: Angie Walker Joins Breakers, Funaro Moves to Mad Drops
What's the Score?
Major League Pickleball (MLP) has announced a trade between the Bay Area Breakers and the Los Angeles Mad Drops. The Bay Area Breakers have acquired Angie Walker, while the Los Angeles Mad Drops receive Danna Funaro and cash considerations.
Hit it deeper!
Major League Pickleball (MLP) executed a trade on Tuesday afternoon involving two of its California-based teams: the Bay Area Breakers and the Los Angeles Mad Drops. The official announcement detailed the specifics of the transaction: the Bay Area Breakers acquired Angie Walker, while the Los Angeles Mad Drops received Danna Funaro along with cash considerations. This trade is expected to impact the rosters and potential performance of both teams as the MLP season progresses.
Analysing the impact on the Bay Area Breakers roster (which also includes Alix Truong, Eric Roddy, and DJ Young), Angie Walker joins the team. Walker has prior MLP experience from 2024, where she competed for the Atlanta Bouncers, finishing with a record of 12 wins and 18 losses. More recently, she demonstrated strong form by earning a Triple Crown victory at the New England PPA Challenger in May. Before joining the Breakers, she served as a sub for the Mad Drops for their first three matches of the current season. Walker is expected to become a starter for the Bay Area squad. The Breakers currently hold a 2-3 record after opening their season at MLP Austin this past weekend. Walker's first event competing with the Bay Area Breakers will be MLP San Clemente, which is scheduled to take place from June 26th to June 29th.
For the Los Angeles Mad Drops, their roster (which includes Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, Quang Duong, Hunter Johnson, and Wes Burrows, with Thomas Wilson on the injured reserve) gains Danna Funaro and cash considerations. Danna Funaro will be making a move back to the Premier Level of MLP. She was initially selected 34th overall by the New York Hustlers in the free agency draft held in March. In her lone event competing with the Bay Area, Funaro recorded a record of 3 wins and 7 losses. With her addition, Funaro becomes the third female player on the Mad Drops' roster, joining Parenteau and Kawamoto. The Los Angeles Mad Drops are set to continue their season this week as they compete at MLP Phoenix, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
The World Pickleball Verdict
Major League Pickleball trades like this one involving Angie Walker and Danna Funaro highlight the league's active management of rosters and its dynamic nature. For the Bay Area Breakers, acquiring Walker, especially coming off a Triple Crown win, adds a player in strong current form who is expected to step into a starting role. Her recent success suggests she could provide an immediate boost to a team looking to improve its 2-3 record. For the Los Angeles Mad Drops, bringing Danna Funaro back to the Premier level adds depth to their female roster. While her recent MLP record was 3-7, joining a team with established top players like Catherine Parenteau could provide a different dynamic and potentially improve her performance. The cash considerations involved also give the Mad Drops additional flexibility for future team building. These types of moves are crucial as teams jockey for playoff positioning throughout the MLP season, and it will be interesting to see how both players integrate with their new squads and what impact the trade ultimately has on the playoff race.