MEDLEY, FLORIDA — Alyssa Thomas, the Connecticut Solar’s franchise participant for a lot of the previous decade, is headed to Phoenix in a blockbuster commerce first reported by ESPN’s Alexa Phillipou on Tuesday afternoon. The Solar will obtain Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen, and the 2025 No. 12 total choose from the Mercury, and in addition ship Ty Harris to Phoenix, The Subsequent’s Howard Megdal reported.
Thomas was cored by the franchise earlier this month, which means that her solely method out of Connecticut was by way of a sign-and-trade that she needed to approve. The transfer gained’t be official till Feb. 1, and who the Solar will purchase within the commerce has but to be disclosed.
Lower than an hour earlier than the commerce was formally reported, Thomas was figuring out on the Unequalled apply facility, which a conglomerate of reporters was touring. Thomas harm her knee on Friday’s Unequalled recreation, however her head coach, Andrew Wade, mentioned on Monday night time that she was progressing properly and was anticipated to return to recreation motion quickly.
BREAKING: The Phoenix Mercury are buying Alyssa Thomas from the Connecticut Solar, sources advised ESPN.
Thomas, a perennial MVP candidate, spent her whole profession in CT up so far. She was cored by the workforce, which means she may solely depart by way of commercehttps://t.co/OYtjq224Zl pic.twitter.com/PRNqZeWhKD
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) January 28, 2025
Thomas’s departure from Connecticut doesn’t come as an enormous shock on condition that she had been vocal concerning the Solar’s lack of services in current months, particularly calling out possession for having her workforce share the apply courtroom with a toddler’s birthday celebration amid the WNBA playoffs. In Phoenix, Thomas could have entry to among the WNBA’s premier services, as proprietor Mat Ishbia unveiled a brand-new 58,000-square-foot, $100 million facility in July.
Whether or not Thomas’s fiance, fellow Connecticut Solar star DeWanna Bonner, will find yourself in Phoenix as properly stays to be seen. Bonner, a six-time All-Star, can be an unrestricted free agent who beforehand performed 10 seasons in Phoenix, and gained two championships with the group. And, with Thomas on the transfer, and the Solar having not too long ago employed a brand new head coach in Rachid Meziane, it seems that the Solar could possibly be headed towards a rebuild.
Final month, Solar basic supervisor Morgan Tuck advised SB Nation that she anticipated the offseason to result in change, however that the franchise’s targets are to stay aggressive.
“It’s onerous to enter it anticipating that you just’re going to be the very same, proper?” Tuck mentioned. “We’ve had a variety of change inside the final couple of months, and extra change to return, clearly. However, we’re a Connecticut workforce, and Connecticut is understood for having actually aggressive groups and actually good groups — so I don’t suppose we are able to draw back from that and the expectations round how good we have to be. Nevertheless it takes time — and it’s a must to have change, and get issues arrange.
What Alyssa Thomas brings to the Phoenix Mercury
Thomas is likely one of the league’s prime defenders and most full all-around gamers. The league’s all-time chief in triple-doubles, she averaged 10.6 factors, 7.9 assists, and eight.4 rebounds final 12 months with the Solar. She was named First Crew All-WNBA in every of the final two seasons, and completed within the within the prime 5 for MVP voting in every of the previous three seasons.
Thomas’s play type as a 6’ 2 ahead is exclusive; she doesn’t shoot three-pointers, which has been a key level of emphasis in first-year head coach Nate Tibbetts’ offense. However, she’s a wonderful facilitator who has a knack for locating shooters out on the perimeter. Up to now within the early weeks of Unequalled, Thomas has continued to indicate a capability to raise her teammates. She additionally continues to exhibit how she will anchor defenses.
Final 12 months, the Mercury amassed a 19-21 document and have been swept by the Minnesota Lynx within the first spherical of the playoffs. However, how related the Mercury will look subsequent 12 months stays to be seen; Brittney Griner is exploring free company for the primary time in her profession, and Diana Taurasi may nonetheless doubtlessly be eyeing retirement, although nothing has been formally introduced. Kahleah Copper, Natasha Cloud, and Sophie Cunningham headline the checklist of returning gamers. Each Copper and Cloud are presently enjoying in Unequalled together with Thomas.