Mercury Opt Against Making Trade

The WNBA trade deadline has passed, and the Mercury will head into the season's final stretch with the same group of players. Can they improve enough internally to make a deep playoff run?

Phoenix Mercury players pose for a photo before playing against the Connecticut Sun at PHX Arena on Aug. 5, 2025, in Phoenix. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The WNBA trade deadline passed earlier today, and the Phoenix Mercury will be heading into the final stretch of the season with the same group of players. Despite having made a minor roster move to help maintain financial flexibility heading into the deadline, the team wound up not making any trades to shake up the roster before their late-season playoff push.

It's not a big surprise that the Mercury decided to stand pat. Their may have lost their firm grip on the league's third-best record after a recent slide, but this team sported a top-five unit on offense and defense over the season's first half, and they've won games against the defending champion New York Liberty (twice, including once on the road) and the league-leading (and 2024 runners-up) Minnesota Lynx, and have beaten every team in the Western Conference at least once.

All that comes despite the team returning just two players from the 2024 season, with the team's chemistry still in the early stages of its growth. An 18-11 start is better than just about anyone expected, and there's a sense that the team still hasn't played their best ball. They've played fewer than half of their games with all three of Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Copper available, and the trio is just starting to get used to playing together, with some positive progress made in their last two games, both decisive wins.

Aug 5, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon (4) shields the ball from Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4) in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

With the next CBA still being negotiated and big changes potentially on the way, it would be difficult to make a trade now with such an uncertain future on the horizon anyway, as the league's salary structure may change.

If there's one area where Phoenix might have explored trade options, it's at the center position. Phoenix played a small lineup with no true center for most of the season, but they've recently started turning toward Natasha Mack in the starting five, ahead of Kathryn Westbeld, who held the spot down previously. Kalani Brown, the biggest player on the team at 6'7" has seen her role fluctuate as well, going from out of the rotation entirely to earning a start against the Chicago Sky.

For now, the Mercury seem happy with what they have, and now that they're finally healthy, they have a deep roster with a lot of genuine contributors. Head coach Nate Tibbetts will continue to experiment in the meantime, and we'll see if what the Mercury have on hand is enough to make a deep playoff run.