The place Satou Sabally was going to play subsequent WNBA season has been a large supply of hypothesis for weeks. And only a few hours away from WNBA free company formally starting, on Friday night, ESPN reported that the Dallas Wings are buying and selling Sabally to the Phoenix Mercury in a three-team commerce. Alongside Sabally, the Wings purchase heart Kalani Brown and level guard Sevgi Uzun from Dallas.
As a part of the commerce, the Wings will obtain Ty Harris (who performed for the Connecticut Solar final season however was acquired by the Phoenix Mercury within the Alyssa Thomas commerce). They’ll additionally land Mercury ahead Kiki Herbert Harrigan and Indiana ahead Fever NaLyssa Smith.
The Fever, in the meantime, acquired guard Sophie Cunningham and the Mercury’s 2025 No. 19 choose. Cunningham was a Sixth Participant of the Yr candidate for a lot of final season, averaging 8.4 factors and three.9 rebounds per recreation.
Full three-team commerce particulars:
- Indiana Fever purchase: Sophie Cunningham, 2025 No. 19 choose
- Phoenix Mercury purchase: Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, Sevgi Uzun
- Dallas Wings purchase: Ty Harris, Kiki Herbert Harrigan, NaLyssa Smith
How Satou Sabally landed in Phoenix
Sabally has spent her complete profession in Dallas since being drafted with the No. 2 choose in 2020. Earlier this month, she was cored by the Wings, that means that she could be supplied a one-year, $249,000 contract — or she may request a commerce. Sabally made clear in her first Unequalled media availability that she needed to move elsewhere, significantly emphasizing a need to affix a company with services and a prioritization of funding by the homeowners.
The Mercury — who unveiled a brand-new apply facility in July — match the invoice. On Friday evening, Sabally agreed to the sign-and-trade, and in flip, she joined Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper in headlining a brand new Large Three in Phoenix.
What the Indiana Fever acquire from the three-team commerce
In September, Sophie Cunningham informed SB Nation that her greatest contribution to the Phoenix Mercury was her management.
“It’s being the glue of the group and ensuring that every one these personalities, and generally egos, are all coming collectively, and making an attempt to create an amazing tradition and an amazing surroundings for individuals to thrive and achieve success,” Cunningham stated. “And so for me, it’s just about off-court stuff. It’s about constructing chemistry. It’s about constructing rhythm. After which when you have got that, and you’ve got that kind of group, naturally issues go fairly nicely for these groups on the nook as nicely.”
However, her on-court contributions weren’t too shabby, both. Final season, Cunningham shot 37.8% from three — and now, she offers one other flooring spacer for the Indiana Fever to work with alongside Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston, and Natasha Howard — whose signing was introduced and reported by ESPN earlier on Friday. Both Cunningham or Hull will doubtless come off the bench — however having two gamers who can unfold the ground and hit open threes alongside Clark and Mitchell is the last word luxurious.
What the Dallas Wings get in return for Sabally
As a part of the three-team commerce, the Wings acquired NaLyssa Smith from the Fever. Smith, the No. 2 choose within the 2022 draft, had a down 12 months final season — and largely fell out of the rotation within the postseason. However, only a 12 months in the past, Smith averaged 15.5 factors and 9.2 rebounds on 47.7% capturing in Indiana. She’ll doubtless profit from a surroundings change — and, from her fast social media exercise, which included updating her Instagram bio and posting a photograph with Wings star Arike Ogunbowale, it appears she’s embracing the change.
Along with Smith, the Wings acquired Ty Harris, who’s coming off a profession season with the Connecticut Solar. Harris averaged 10.5 factors and three assists final 12 months whereas capturing 39.5% from three. Harris is a dependable playmaker who can instantly play alongside Ogunbowale. Additionally they acquired Kiki Herbert Harrigan from Phoenix, who averaged 3.2 factors in 10.8 minutes per recreation final season.
Alongside Sabally, the Wings lose two rotation gamers in Sevgi Uzun (4.4 factors, 3 assists) and Kalani Brown (5.7 factors, 3.1 rebounds). However, the return is substantial — particularly if Smith can return to her 2023 type.
Friday’s commerce was an ideal reminder of what occurs when a celebrity desires out. On this case, six different gamers received moved (Sophie Cunningham, Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, Sevgi Uzun, Ty Harris, Kiki Herbert Harrigan, and NaLyssa Smith). Who’s the last word winner from the commerce stays to be seen, however no less than proper now, it seems that the Mercury have positioned themselves nicely with a brand-new core of Sabally, Thomas, and Copper.
