After Taurasi, Bria Hartley is the team’s fourth guaranteed contract and she’s receiving the max ($190,550).Īfter those four, it’s the trio of youngsters who are on unprotected contracts:ī. Phoenix already made its big move last year - bringing in Diggins-Smith who, along with Griner, is receiving the supermax ($221,450). With the additions of Nurse and Walker, the Mercury now have 10 players under contract and Sophie Cunningham and Alanna Smith are the only ones who seem cuttable, assuming the team wants to hold on to Walker, whom it just traded for.īut here’s what we previously reported about Cunningham and Smith looking promising as well: In 2020, she was her usual unabashed 3-pointing-shooting and foul-drawing self and even entered into MVP discussions at one point. Taurasi showed a ton of improvement health-wise after contributing very little in the six games she played in 2019. However, her play in 2020 did merit superstar money. She is the GOAT and deserves a chance to end her career with the Mercury, but the team has to think about the future as well. Taurasi was expected to re-sign with Phoenix, but it is a bit surprising to see her signed to a supermax deal. Yvonne Turner (suspended-contract expired) ($49,483)Ĭap space: $64,179 Analysis Megan Walker (standing) was a great all-around offensive talent in college.Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (restricted) ($52,656).Jessica Breland (unrestricted) ($115,000).Phoenix was eighth in the WNBA in 3-point shooting percentage in 2020.īy the numbers* Free agents (type) (average salary) (new salary) Though both struggled last year, Nurse shot 35.3 percent from beyond the arc in 2019 and Walker shot 45.1 percent as a junior at UConn in 2019-20. But with Brittney Griner (personal reasons) departing the IMG Academy bubble early, the Mercury never got to see the big three of Diggins-Smith, Griner and Diana Taurasi together when it mattered most.Ī Shey Peddy buzzer-beater sent Phoenix to the second round of the playoffs, but failing to make the semifinals thereafter brought a disappointing end to the season for a team striving to win a championship in the waning years of Taurasi’s career.Īs for their needs in this year’s free agency, the Mercury filled a 3-point shooting need by picking up Nurse and Walker. The Mercury made one of the biggest offseason acquisitions last season when they brought Skylar Diggins-Smith to the desert in a sign-and-trade deal. The GOAT is looking like she may finish her career having played for only one team. In addition, the Mercury re-signed Diana Taurasi to a supermax ($221,450) contract for two years. 5 the re-signing of Kia Vaughn, a veteran center who has been a solid WNBA player for a long time, including last year when she averaged 6.1 points and 18.9 minutes per game. The Phoenix Mercury also announced on Feb. Yvonne Turner was then traded from the Mercury to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for a third round pick in 2022 on Saturday. 6 pick in this year’s draft and a 2022 first round pick to the New York Liberty in exchange for Kia Nurse and Megan Walker. On Wednesday, the Phoenix Mercury traded away the No.
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