Alyssa Thomas will continue her historic WNBA career with a new franchise for the first time in her career.
The Connecticut Sun traded Thomas to the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. It’s unclear what the Sun will get in return.
Thomas was originally drafted by the New York Liberty in 2014 but was traded on draft day to Connecticut and will leave the team as one of its greatest players in franchise history.
The five-time All-Star helped lead the team to six straight semifinal appearances with trips to the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022.
Philippou noted that because Thomas was cored by the Sun, a trade was the only way she could leave Connecticut despite being an unrestricted free agent. Thomas also needed to sign off on the trade. The move won’t be official until Feb. 1.
Aside from being a five time All-Star, Thomas is also a two-time All-WNBA First Team, led the league in steals in 2020 and was a 2024 Olympian and won a gold medal with Team USA women’s basketball. She’s also the WNBA’s triple-double leader with 15 (11 in the regular season, four in the playoffs).
In September, Thomas voiced her disappointment in Mohegan Sun Arena — where the Sun play their home games — to The Next Hoops’ Gabby Alfveby when the team had to share its practice court at the Tribal Practice Facility with a 2-year-old’s birthday party.
“It’s normal at this point. I mean, Mohegan has to do better,” Thomas told The Next Hoops. “We’re (a) professional team. We’re competing for playoffs. And yeah, to have to share your court with a two-year-old(‘s) birthday party, (it’s the) ultimate disrespect. … We need more, we need better to compete at the highest level.”
Thomas doubled-down on her disappointment with Connecticut’s amenities, telling reporters after she returne from the Paris Olympics that while changes had been made over the 11 years she was part of the team, there was still a lot that needed to be addressed.
“Honestly, Connecticut’s super behind when it comes to that,” she said, per SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell. “I’ve been here 11 years, and yes, we’ve made changes, but a lot of things still have so much room for improvement.”
Thomas was playing in Unrivaled — a professional 3-on-3 women’s basketball league — and made it known to reporters including the Sun Times’ Annie Costabile how valuable it is to play for a team that has “top provisions available.”
The Connecticut Sun have reportedly traded 5-time All-Star center Jonquel Jones to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a package of draft picks and players.
Jones, who has been a key player for the Sun since being drafted in 2016, is known for her scoring ability, rebounding prowess, and shot-blocking skills. She has been named an All-Star five times and was the WNBA Most Improved Player in 2018.
The trade is seen as a significant move for both teams, with the Mercury adding a top-tier player to their roster and the Sun acquiring assets to help build for the future. Phoenix is hoping that Jones can help lead them to a championship, while Connecticut is looking to retool their roster and compete at a high level in the coming years.
Fans of both teams will be eagerly anticipating the impact that Jones will have on her new team, and the potential for success that this trade could bring. Stay tuned for more updates as the WNBA offseason continues.
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