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.
Thomas was cored by the franchise earlier this month, which means that her solely means 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 understanding on the Unequalled observe facility, which a conglomerate of reporters was touring. Thomas damage her knee on Friday’s Unequalled sport, however her head coach, Andrew Wade, stated on Monday evening that she was progressing nicely and was anticipated to return to sport 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 up to now. She was cored by the staff, which means she may solely go away 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 provided that she had been vocal concerning the Solar’s lack of amenities in current months, particularly calling out possession for having her staff share the observe courtroom with a toddler’s celebration amid the WNBA playoffs. In Phoenix, Thomas could have entry to among the WNBA’s premier amenities, 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 nicely stays to be seen. Bonner, a six-time All-Star, can also 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 lately employed a brand new head coach in Rachid Meziane, it seems that the Solar may very well 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 objectives are to stay aggressive.
“It’s laborious to enter it anticipating that you simply’re going to be the very same, proper?” Tuck stated. “We’ve had numerous change inside the final couple of months, and extra change to return, clearly. However, we’re a Connecticut staff, 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 you need to have change, and get issues arrange.
What Alyssa Thomas brings to the Phoenix Mercury
Thomas is among the league’s high 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 yr with the Solar. She was named First Crew All-WNBA in every of the final two seasons, and completed within the within the high 5 for MVP voting in every of the previous three seasons.
Thomas’s play fashion 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 superb facilitator who has a knack for locating shooters out on the perimeter. To date within the early weeks of Unequalled, Thomas has continued to indicate a capability to raise her teammates. She additionally continues to display how she will be able to anchor defenses.
Final yr, the Mercury amassed a 19-21 file and have been swept by the Minnesota Lynx within the first spherical of the playoffs. However, how related the Mercury will look subsequent yr 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 listing of returning gamers. Each Copper and Cloud are at present enjoying in Unequalled together with Thomas.
