The Phoenix Mercury have reached a buyout settlement with veteran ahead DeWanna Bonner, the staff introduced on Monday.
The 17-year veteran will now have a possibility to signal with a playoff contender in pursuit of her third WNBA championship in what is predicted to be her last season.
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“Due to the connection we’ve with DeWanna, we labored out a buyout settlement that offers her the chance to chase a title in what might be her last postseason,” Mercury basic supervisor Nick U’Ren mentioned in an announcement. “DeWanna will all the time be a part of the Mercury household and we want her all the most effective.”
Bonner, 39 was the 2009 first-round choose of the Mercury (No. 5 total) out of Auburn. She gained the Sixth Girl of the 12 months award in every of her first three seasons. She performed 10 years with Phoenix earlier than being traded to the Connecticut Solar in 2020 for 3 first-round picks.
After 5 seasons with the Solar, throughout which she earned 4 All-Star bids, she signed with the Indiana Fever in 2025. Bonner was sad with being assigned a bench function, finally leaving the staff for “private causes” and requesting a commerce. Indiana could not discover a commerce accomplice and waived Bonner, after which she re-signed with the Mercury.
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Phoenix is presently tied for the WNBA’s fourth-worst report at 13-24, and has been eradicated from playoff consideration.
Amongst playoff groups Bonner may be a part of are the New York Liberty (presently lacking Satou Sabally whereas she recovers from a head harm), the Las Vegas Aces (who may have a alternative for NaLyssa Smith after she suffered a non-contact knee harm on Sunday) and the Golden State Valkyries.
In her 17 seasons, Bonner has averaged 14.3 factors, 6 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Her greatest season was in 2012 with the Mercury, throughout which she averaged 20.6 factors, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals. She gained WNBA championships with Phoenix in 2009 and 2014, was named to 6 All-Star groups and earned All-WNBA First Workforce honors in 2015.
Bonner ends her profession with Phoenix because the franchise’s third all-time main scorer and the highest rebounder in staff historical past.