2. Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury sent three of their main contributors to Paris this summer. Diana Taurasi, Kahleah Copper, and Brittney Griner all suited up for Team USA. While Taurasi watched the final game from the bench and Griner only played a few minutes, all three played important roles in the team's undefeated run to the gold medal.
The Phoenix Mercury will surely notice this when the season first starts back up. Natasha Cloud may lead the team in minutes per game, but Copper, Griner, and Taurasi are next in line. They all average over or close to 30 minutes per game. That plus the pressure of playing in the Olympics is a load to shoulder. To top it off, Griner has also been dealing with injuries, playing only 15 games so far, and Taurasi is 42 years old.
The extra workload from the Olympics may not affect Copper as much, but the other two should definitely feel it, especially with the Phoenix Mercury's upcoming schedule. The Mercury were extremely unlucky with their post-Olympic schedule. They are playing three games in four days, starting today. That is a heavy workload, even without three players who just competed in the Olympics, and promises an Olympic hangover for the Mercury.