Mercury All-Star Bonner traded to Connecticut
The Phoenix Mercury parted with WNBA All-Star forward DeWanna Bonner, sending her to the Connecticut Sun in a sign-and-trade deal Tuesday.
In return, the Mercury are receiving three firstround draft picks including No. 7 and 10 overall this year. They also have the No. 5 pick in the first round of the April 17 draft. One or more of those picks could be used in a subsequent deal.
The third draft pick coming to the Mercury is a 2021 first-rounder.
Bonner, 32, was an unrestricted free agent free to sign with any team because she could no longer re
ceive core player designation from the Mercury.
Through a sign-and-trade, Bonner is eligible to receive a super max base salary of $215,000 for 2020 under the new collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and its players. By leaving without signing, the most Bonner could make in 2020 would be $185,000.
“We drafted DeWanna in 2009 and together we won championships in 2009 and 2014,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a statement. “We watched as she became a Sixth Woman of the Year, All-Star, All-WNBA player, and most importantly a mother. Ultimately, she has decided the next stage of her career does not include us and we wish her the best. She and her daughters, Cali and Demi, will always remain a part of the Mercury family.”
The Mercury are expected to re-sign 6-9 center Brittney Griner this week. She was given the core player designation before the WNBA free agency signing period began, giving Phoenix exclusive negotiating rights.
Currently, the Mercury have five players under contract: Taurasi, Briann January, Alanna Smith, Brianna Turner and Sophie Cunningham. Those players plus Griner, who will receive a super max salary, will combine for $625,000 in 2020 out of a salary cap allowance of $1.3 million.
Bonner was drafted No. 5 overall by the Mercury out of Auburn in 2009 and played 10 seaons in Phoenix, sitting out 2017 due to pregnancy.
She was on the Mercury’s 2009 and 2014 WNBA championship teams and is the team’s all-time leading rebounder (2,072) and second in scoring (4,820 points) behind Diana Taurasi. Bonner’s credentials include:
❚ Three-time All-Star
❚ Three-time Sixth Woman Year
❚ 2018 Comeback Player of the Year of the (AP)
❚ 2015 All-WNBA first team
❚ 2019 All-WNBA second team (AP)
❚ Mercury No. 2 in games played (335)
❚ Played in all but five possible 340 regular season games in 10 Mercury seasons
❚ Career averages: 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists
❚ Career scoring
(twice)
❚ Career rebounding high: 16 (2018) The Mercury open their season, with home games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, on May 17. They will be seeking an eight consecutive playoff apperance.
Connecticut plays at Phoenix on May 29 and Sept. 9. high: 38 points