DeWanna Bonner will join the Atlanta Dream after agreeing to a buyout with the Phoenix Mercury to allow her to compete in the playoffs in what could be her last season in the W. Bonner is a great get for the Dream. Atlanta lacks depth at the three and four, and the two most reliable players off the bench—not counting Bri Jones who is out again—are rookies Isobel Borlase and Madina Okot.
Adding a veteran like Bonner will improve the Dream’s rotation for a pressure-heavy first-round series. Atlanta lost in the first round three years in a row. It’s time they go on a deeper run with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.
Their first-round matchup could very well end up being against the Indiana Fever. The two teams are currently fourth and fifth in the standings. It would be an intense matchup for several reasons. For one, it would be a rematch of last year’s first round when the short-handed Fever upset the Dream. Secondly, it would be Caitlin Clark’s and Angel Reese’s first postseason meeting in the W.
Bringing in Bonner only adds another storyline to the potential matchup after she abruptly left the Fever last season.
Bonner and the Fever have history
Bonner signed with the Fever for the 2024 season. However, things didn’t go well, and Bonner played only 9 games before the Fever waived her and she returned to Phoenix.
Two of the three matchups between the Mercury and Fever this season were eventful, to say the least. The first meeting featured six technical fouls and an ejection. The second meeting resulted in a one-game suspension for Alyssa Thomas, which was handed out later on, for a foul against Caitlin Clark that the refs missed in the moment.
Both Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull have made comments about Bonner leaving the Fever without giving an explanation, and there’s clearly still some tension left between certain players.
Bringing all of that into a playoff setting would make for a tense, high-stakes atmosphere. On one hand, the Dream and Fever would undoubtedly deliver a great on-court production. After all, losing in the first round would be a disaster for either team.
On the other hand, it would also be a breeding ground for racism, homophobia, and dangerous harassment from certain fans who have specifically targeted Bonner and Reese before. If the Fever and Dream end up playing in the playoffs, the league needs to be ready for everything that will come with such a high-profile matchup.
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