​Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesMercury GM explains urgency behind huge Kelsey Plum trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Kelsey Plum and Phoenix Mercury saga is just beginning, but this is interesting territory for general manager Nick U’Ren. He understands that Plum intends to explore free agency at the end of the season.However, 14 games is huge for the franchise to have a chance at keeping her long-term. During U’Ren’s media availability on Monday, he knows that getting a leg up is advantageous.“These are all factors that we take very seriously,” U’Ren said. “The chance to get Kelsey into our four walls and have her feel what we’re all about, have her feel our staff, our players, our organizational dynamic was really important to us. We want to be aggressive in getting her here as early as possible.Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Teams like the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty were also potential targets for the 23.9-point-per-game scorer. Would they have interest in her during free agency? Most likely, but the advantage goes in Phoenix’s favor.While some might view this as a rental, don’t tell that to Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts, who knows this could extend beyond this season.“We want to make this a place that KP wants to be for a while,” Tibbetts explained via Dylan Kane of The IX Sports. “This isn’t just a 14 or 15 game rental in our mind. This is something that we want to build upon, and she can get in our building and get around our players and organization.”The connection is already there, and can be promising if Phoenix strings together a series of win. Regardless if they make the playoffs or not, keeping Plum for the long haul seems to be the move.Related: Mercury’s Kelsey Plum reveals Diana Taurasi’s incredible welcome messageRelated: Kelsey Plum set to make Mercury debut vs Sky after blockbuster trade