Satou Sabally has been traded to the Phoenix Mercury as part of a significant three-team trade agreement, according to a source with knowledge of the transaction. The person requested to remain unnamed as the official announcement of the deal has yet to be made public.
As part of this trade, the Dallas Wings will receive Ty Harris and Kiki Herbert Harrigan from the Mercury, along with NaLyssa Smith and the eighth overall pick in the upcoming draft from the Indiana Fever. Meanwhile, the Fever will gain Sophie Cunningham and a second-round pick from Phoenix. Additionally, the Mercury will also acquire Kalani Brown and Sevgi Uzun from the Wings.
Reports indicate that Sabally had previously expressed her desire to not continue her career with the Wings, the franchise that selected her as the second overall pick in the 2020 draft. Although the Wings had placed the franchise tag on her, the only viable option for her to change teams was through a trade.
The formalization of this trade is set to occur on Saturday when free agents will be permitted to officially sign with new teams. During the last season, Sabally managed to participate in only 15 games while preparing for her Olympic commitments. Over her five-year career, she has maintained an average of 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
Despite the loss of Sabally, the Wings hold the first overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft after winning the lottery. The team ended last season with a record of 9-31, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Additionally, Indiana has reportedly made a move to sign free agent Natasha Howard, although this agreement will also not be finalized until Saturday.
The offseason has seen significant changes for the Mercury. They recently lost star center Brittney Griner, who plans to sign with the Atlanta franchise, and it remains uncertain if veteran Diana Taurasi will return for another season or choose to retire.
On Tuesday, there were reports that the Mercury were finalizing a deal to bring in Alyssa Thomas from the Connecticut Sun, and Harris was included in that transaction. Harris just concluded a career-best season with the Sun, averaging 10.5 points and 3.0 assists in 39 games. Initially drafted by the Wings at seventh overall in 2020, she spent her first three years in Dallas, averaging 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds over 88 games with the team.
The landscape of the WNBA is certainly evolving with these moves, and the ramifications of such trades will be closely monitored as the new season approaches.
