The Phoenix Mercury underwent a lot of significant changes this offseason, losing Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Natasha Cloud. Phoenix quickly built a new big three by trading for Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally.
With Sabally, Thomas, and Kahleah Copper, the Mercury still have three All-Stars, but there were some serious questions about the rest of the roster. Going into the season, the Mercury seemed like a top-heavy team with little depth—a concern that could have jeopardized the team’s playoff chances.
Nine games into the season, the concerns about the Mercury’s depth seem much less significant, as Satou Sabally and the supporting cast have already carried the team to six wins. Two of their three losses came against the Minnesota Lynx, one of the two undefeated teams in the league.
The Mercury’s supporting cast is defying expectations
The Mercury currently have the fifth-best record in the league—better than the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever—even though Kahleah Copper hasn’t played at all this season, and Alyssa Thomas has only played five games.
Sabally has been the team’s engine, leading Phoenix in points, rebounds, and steals. The supporting cast is also doing its part, though. Rookies Kitija Laksa, Monique Akou Makani, Kathryn Westbeld, and Lexie Held have had an immediate impact on both ends of the floor.
Held just secured the Mercury an important win over the Golden State Valkyries with a 24-point performance. The Mercury entered that game with Copper and Thomas still sidelined, and Sabally was limited for some of the game due to foul trouble. Nevertheless, the Mercury secured the win.
Not all of the Mercury’s wins have been pretty, but what really matters is the team’s ability to win without two of its stars. While Phoenix is leaning heavily on Sabally to create offense, other players are pitching in as well—more than expected.
The Mercury must still prove themselves against the top teams in the league
The Mercury’s supporting cast may be defying expectations, but the team has not proven that it can beat some of the top teams in the league yet. Four teams are ahead of the Mercury in the standings at the moment: New York, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. Out of that group, the Mercury have only faced the Lynx, losing both games. Most of Phoenix’s wins have come against struggling teams, like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Golden State.
With only one star available, beating teams like the Lynx, Liberty, Dream, or Aces will be a tough challenge for the Mercury. Even at full strength, it won’t be easy, as Phoenix’s three stars have spent little time on the court together while the top teams in the league mostly returned last season’s cores. Atlanta made the biggest changes, adding Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones.
The Mercury may have dispelled a major concern about the team’s depth, but there are other issues the team will have to work out.