WNBA: What comes after the Taurasi Period for the Phoenix Mercury?

What to make of the Phoenix Mercury’s 2024 season?

Though criticized (for some justifiable causes), the group appeared to make a sensible head teaching rent in Nate Tibbetts. Their splashy offseason additions—Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud—exceeded expectations. After an early-season damage, Brittney Griner was as dependable and impactful as ever. Diana Taurasi, in what possible was her final season, was extra productive than anticipated at age 42. Sophie Cunningham had a career-best season. The group’s largely unproven reserves who rounded out the roster—Natasha Mack and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan from the beginning; Celeste Taylor and Monique Billings as in-season signings—labored out. Except Rebecca Allen’s again damage, every part appeared to go fairly effectively for the Mercury.

So, why did they end underneath .500 (19-21) and by no means really threaten as a title contender?

There was some intangible oomph lacking from this workforce. They had been too inconsistent, oftentimes because of an absence of urgency. One recreation, the Mercury can be firing on all cylinders, simply crossing the century mark as they ran their opponent off the ground with a flood of transition buckets and triples. However a number of video games later, they’d wrestle to succeed in 70 factors, popping out flat, by no means discovering a groove and seeming to overlook to throw the ball to Griner.

Though Tibbetts deserves reward for the NBA-influenced techniques he imported in Phoenix, it appears the strategic improve was not sufficient to get this workforce the place it needs to be. That the workforce options fiery rivals in Taurasi, Copper and Cloud makes their lack of urgency much more puzzling. Whereas the workforce may need escaped the deep malaise that contaminated it over the prior few seasons, it seems an additional cultural renovation is required in Phoenix.

So, what positives can Phoenix construct on as they give the impression of being towards 2025?

What went proper for Phoenix?

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KFC in PHX

The Mercury gave up loads for Kahleah Copper, together with the No. 3 choose within the 2024 WNBA Draft, which turned Kamilla Cardoso (and will have been Rickea Jackson or Angel Reese).

But, Phoenix should not have any regrets. Copper already had a resume—the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP and a three-time All-Star—that spectacular rookies might by no means match. And it’s one which she additional burnished in her first season within the Valley, making her fourth All-Star Recreation, profitable a gold medal with Group USA and presumably making her first All-WNBA Group. Had her workforce posted a greater file, Copper would have ranked larger than eighth on the ultimate MVP poll. She was a scoring dynamo, tallying a career-high 21.1 factors per recreation, good for third-best within the league.

Copper’s elevated weaponization of her 3-pointer, with a career-high 5.9 makes an attempt per recreation, mixed along with her off-the-dribble velocity, which contributed to her career-high 5.6 free throw makes an attempt per recreation, made her an evermore harmful offensive choice. Sag off her to attempt to comprise her quickness and she or he’ll cooly drain a triple. Shut out onerous to discourage her shot and she or he’ll fly by you to the basket. And when she’s scorching, nobody is stopping her, evidenced by her 9 video games scoring 30 or extra factors.

Cloud within the Valley

Copper’s fellow North Philly hooper additionally discovered a quick dwelling in Phoenix.

The longtime Washington Mystic rapidly settled in as her new squad’s two-way flooring common. On offense, Cloud ran the present, almost matching her profession greatest with 6.9 assists per recreation. On protection, she was prepared to do no matter was required, from serving as a fringe assault canine or wrestling with larger participant on the block. Her 1.4 steals per recreation matched her profession excessive, whereas her 0.6 blocks per recreation was a profession greatest. She additionally exceed her earlier marks on the boards, grabbing 4.1 rebounds per recreation. All that hustle earned Cloud her third All-Defensive choice; she’s additionally the primary Mercury guard to obtain an All-Defensive honor.

And as she confirmed in Recreation 1 of the primary spherical towards the Minnesota Lynx, she can also put the ball within the basket, dropping 33 factors as she nearly captained the Mercury’s comeback victory.

What’s subsequent for the Mercury?

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Was this actually it?

All indications counsel that, sure, this was it for Taurasi.

Whereas she is an all-timer who can nonetheless get buckets with the most effective of them, her retirement ought to make workforce constructing simpler for the group. As this season demonstrated, the Mercury, whereas proficient, should not on the stage required to contest for a championship. However with the Copper-Cloud tandem, together with (in all probability) Griner, they’ve a core that would cohere right into a championship-caliber workforce. Now, as a substitute of accommodating Taurasi’s liabilities (and outsized wage), they will purchase complementary gamers who additionally match Tibbetts’ system.

No, the group would by no means not need Taurasi to return. However, her retirement ought to open different prospects for the Mercury, as their visions and fortunes have been too tightly tied to the fading legend (and her tightly-coiffed bun).

BG’s gotta be again. However who else?

Copper, Cloud, Cunningham and Allen are underneath contract for subsequent season. Assuming Taurasi is completed, Griner, together with Billings, are unrestricted free brokers. The workforce has reserved rights to Mack, Herbert Harrigan, Taylor, Charisma Osborne and Amy Atwell.

Phoenix thus has lots of optionality. They’ll convey again this group, cultivating continuity by way of a second season underneath Tibbetts. Or, they might go for extra formidable adjustments, utilizing their flexibility to seek out upgrades.

Regardless, the Mercury should convey again Griner, so long as she wishes to proceed her WNBA profession. Since BG at all times has expressed appreciation for the Phoenix group, it’d be a shocker if she selected to signal some place else. Whilst she approaches her mid-30s, she provides unparalleled impression as a 6-foot-9 rim deterrent on protection and an more and more versatile operator on offense. In 2024, she posted the very best area objective share of her profession (57.9 %). She additionally extra efficiently served as a playmaking hub, posting a career-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3). She even teased a 3-point stroke, making half of her 18 3-point makes an attempt. The league’s higher with BG in it!