DeWanna Bonner and the Phoenix Mercury made a curious announcement Monday morning: Bonner is departing the team, apparently effectively immediately. The Mercury explained the team negotiated a contract buy-out with Bonner to give her "the opportunity to chase a title in what could be her final postseason."
Bonner, who has not announced plans to retire but has hinted at being close to the end of her career, also issued her own statement. She began by thanking Mercury fans and acknowledging that returning to the franchise "has been an incredible experience." She also admitted she doesn't "know what the future holds" and said she's "grateful to the Mercury for giving me the opportunity to play in what could be one of my final postseason opportunities."
The announcement also comes after the Mercury, who are ranked 12th in the WNBA standings, were officially ruled out of playoffs contention.
That idea that Bonner wants the chance to exit the WNBA on the type of high that only a championship ring can bring is absolutely understandable. She's been in the league for 17 seasons, which is a tremendous career length by any measure. The decision also places Bonner on the waiver wire, and if a team doesn't pick her up, she'll become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with anyone she wants.
There are several teams who have already secured their playoffs berth, and of those, a handful that could make a good home for Bonner if they need a new player at this point in the season. It's difficult to imagine the Minnesota Lynx, who are firing on all cylinders and first in the league, would sign her. But the Las Vegas Aces could pick her up; NaLyssa Smith suffered a knee injury in the team's game Sunday, and Bonner might fill in gaps that are needed there. That's also likely a pairing that would appeal to Bonner, especially since she wants to try to win it all one more time — the Aces are on a mission to secure back-to-back championship wins.
Bonner spent 10 seasons with the Mercury, where she won two championships, before another five with the Connecticut Sun. She followed former Sun coach Stephanie White to the Indiana Fever, but abruptly departed the team midway through the 2025 season. The Fever are playoffs bound and ranked fifth in the team, but are unlikely to be high on Bonner's list of destinations.
Indeed, her decision to leave the Mercury, who have six more games left in the 2026 season, reminded some Fever fans of her decision to leave Indiana. Though the circumstances appear quite different, the timing is definitely extremely unique. The Mercury currently have a 13-24 record, a disappointment after last year's incredible season that saw the team in the WNBA Finals against Las Vegas.
Add us as a preferred source on Google