Hayden Cilley Articles - Page 5

LAS VEGAS– Sin City turned into literal hell for the Phoenix Mercury against the Las Vegas. The 83-61 loss was one of their worst of the season, for a myriad of reasons, as head coach Nate Tibbetts mentioned. Although the Mercury had an unsung hero on Tuesday, there was none of that on Thursday. After […]

SAN FRANCISCO– Following the Phoenix Mercury’s Tuesday morning shootaround before playing the Golden State Valkyries, Kahleah Copper and Nate Tibbetts stood at center court. The two were chatting. It’s unclear what was said, but both parties were engaged, intentional, and listening to what the other was saying. That’s been the story of the 2025 season: […]

SAN FRANCISCO– Monique Akoa Makani might not get the glitz and glamour that her teammates do. However, the Phoenix Mercury rookie has been a constant throughout the entire season. Tuesday marked the first time she came off the bench after starting every game. Following a knee issue that kept her sidelined for Sunday’s contest, it […]

PHOENIX — The standings are getting tighter and tighter, and everything is at stake for the Phoenix Mercury. Falling to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday has Kahleah Copper putting on her leadership cap. During her postgame availability, she clarified what the team’s philosophy should be down the stretch. I asked Kahleah Copper how she […]

Is a change going to come? It may be for the Phoenix Mercury, who sit at 19-12 and fourth in the WNBA standings. However, players like Kalani Brown and Natasha Mack could make a monster difference. The two centers play different, but effective, brands of basketball. Both have put their respective stamps on specific games […]

Heading into the 2025 NBA offseason, the Phoenix Suns felt like a ship lost at sea. Or in this case, stranded in the desert. After the Suns traded away Kevin Durant for a massive haul, Jonathan Kuminga slowly crept into their radar. The latter has been battling contract negotiations with the Golden State Warriors. As […]

PHOENIX– The second half of the season is closer and closer to concluding, and Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts has established his potential 8-player rotation. It’s raised some questions, due to the talent on the team. The other three players, Kalani Brown, Lexi Held, and Kitija Laksa, have seen their playing time dwindle. Even […]

PHOENIX– A season-series sweep by the Atlanta Dream left just about everyone on the Phoenix Mercury disheveled. Even though Alyssa Thomas has had an incredible season, it felt like Atlanta limited her and everyone else’s effectiveness. Following Sunday’s 74-66 loss, the All-Star forward detailed the consistent theme in the three total matchups against the Dream. […]

PHOENIX– It felt personal for DeWanna Bonner during the Phoenix Mercury’s 95-60 win over the Indiana Fever on Thursday. A plethora of storylines highlighted the game, outside of Bonner. For instance, it was Sophie Cunningham’s first return to Phoenix since being traded in the offseason. Additionally, it was Bonner’s second time playing against Indiana, following […]

PHOENIX– Not many players have the chance to play with two generational players. However, Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham has had the chance to play with Diana Taurasi. In 2025, she’s playing with Caitlin Clark. Although the two players have different styles, there is a striking similarity, Cunningham pointed out before Thursday’s game. Sophie Cunningham […]

PHOENIX– For five seasons, Sophie Cunningham was a beloved figure for the Phoenix Mercury. After Cunningham was traded to the Indiana Fever in a 3-team trade for Satou Sabally, the X-factor missed her personality, on-court presence, and toughness. During her pregame warmups, she went over to a scrum with reporters. With her bright smile, she […]

The WNBA trade deadline ends on August 7, and the Phoenix Mercury have some decisions to make. Although they have an 18-11 record, there might be some more additions they can make. Without further ado, here are three targets that the purple and orange could target. Jessica Shepard to the Mercury? Jessica Shepard would be […]

PHOENIX– Ever since DeWanna Bonner re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury, some thought she would take a step back. However, no one on the team felt that way, especially head coach Nate Tibbetts. He was as ecstatic as anyone to bring on an established veteran, champion, and top player in league history. Bonner posted 18 points […]

PHOENIX– All it took was a little bit of encouragement. At least that’s what Satou Sabally experienced during Tuesday’s 82-66 win over the Connecticut Sun. “I got to experience the family culture here and I felt like I had just tremendous support along some rough days,” Sabally said postgame. “I think it’s just going beyond […]

The previous weekend for the Phoenix Mercury was a rough one, especially for Satou Sabally. She only played one half of basketball on Friday, as head coach Nate Tibbetts benched her. One game later, she was out due to a personal absence. It’s unclear if she was with the team in Chicago. According to the […]

A 2-3 record on the East Coast road trip might not sound too horrific. But for the Phoenix Mercury, it felt like everything that could’ve gone wrong did. Those three losses were marked by disappointing defense, a lackluster offense, and for some, a perceived lack of effort. Even though the WNBA All-Star Game had a […]

Returning to Wintrust Arena once again is always nice for Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper. However, a new face of the Chicago Sky has emerged in Angel Reese. The latter has been impressive, on and off the court. From Reese making WNBA history in her rookie campaign to securing lucrative endorsement deals, she’s on her […]

Ever since signing with the Phoenix Mercury, Alyssa Thomas has been making history. Multiple games with 15 assists, as well as breaking her career-high in points per game and points scored in a single game. It’s an element that head coach Nate Tibbetts has praised since she joined the squad. However, with the second half […]

The moment she checked into Wednesday’s game, Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner was met with boo’s from the Indiana Fever crowd. It was something that Kahleah Copper didn’t take too lightly. Following the game, she remained perplexed at why the Fever fanbase would boo someone like Bonner. Phoenix Mercury wing Kahleah Copper on DeWanna Bonner […]

Wednesday will mark DeWanna Bonner’s first return to Indianapolis since leaving the Indiana Fever earlier in the season. Since she signed with the Phoenix Mercury, head coach Nate Tibbetts has loved every moment. He’s cited her professionalism, on-court acumen, and the way Bonner carries herself as key points. During the team’s morning shootaround, Tibbetts told […]

On Wednesday, DeWanna Bonner will return to Indianapolis after a tumultuous time with the organization. After Bonner signed with the Phoenix Mercury in July, it was a full-circle moment. However, the multiple-time All-Star will have to play in front of the Fever crowd as an opponent. While that’s a majority of the storyline for Wednesday’s […]

Days are coming closer and closer to the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, and the Phoenix Suns have made a barrage of moves. Most recently, the Suns gave Devin Booker a $145 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in the league. Not to mention, Phoenix aced the NBA draft and landed Khaman […]

The Phoenix Mercury were in a rough spot before Sunday’s game against the Washington Mystics. They went through a 3-game losing skid, and two of the losses came against two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams. During that stretch, Alyssa Thomas emphasized that the team hasn’t been effective on the defensive side. Head coach Nate […]

During the WNBA All-Star weekend, Alyssa Thomas talked about a potential lockout ahead of CBA talks. Fast forward to Sunday, and the Mercury forward’s stance hasn’t changed. It’s only heightened, and Thomas doubled down on CBA talks. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said there are a lot of “non-negotiables” when it comes to CBA negotiations. […]

PHOENIX — The talk of the WNBA and the Phoenix Mercury was Brittney Griner’s return to the Valley of the Sun as a member of the Atlanta Dream. During her stay with the franchise for 11 seasons, she made an incredible mark. Griner won the 2014 WNBA title and multiple Defensive Player of the Year […]

Hours before the Phoenix Mercury take on the Atlanta Dream could be filled with pure emotion from Brittney Griner. The former Phoenix center has spent this season not wearing the purple and orange threads. Rather, she’s been in the ATL, that is, with the Dream. During the offseason, Griner left the Mercury and signed with […]

The 2025 NBA Summer League has come to an end, and the Phoenix Suns were the winners. They didn’t win the Summer League title, as did the Charlotte Hornets, but they had a nice turnaround in three months. The Suns extended Devin Booker to a $145 million contract extension. Meanwhile, the franchise traded away Kevin […]

The Bradley Beal and Phoenix Suns era is over, as the team bought him out on Thursday. However, this move felt long overdue, and one that Suns owner Mat Ishbia was ready to make. After the failed Big 3 experiment of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal, he pulled the eject button on the latter […]

The Phoenix Suns excelled in the NBA Draft and showcased strong summer league performances from their rookies and second-year players. However, there might be one area they didn’t address in free agency that could be the difference maker. Although the Suns officially waived Bradley Beal, they could still use another guard: A point guard. That mantra […]

Alyssa Thomas is no stranger to tough discussions. The Phoenix Mercury star is spearheading the third-best team in the WNBA. The proclaimed “engine” is firing on all cylinders, on and off the basketball court. During Friday’s media availability at the WNBA All-Star, Thomas detailed her stance on the collective bargaining agreement discussions. “I think in […]

The Phoenix Suns and Bradley Beal have officially agreed to a contract buyout on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Beal will receive his more than $50 million annual salary for the upcoming season. The insider is also reporting that Beal will sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. BREAKING: Three-time […]

The Phoenix Mercury are making moves ahead of the WNBA All-Star Break. For instance, the Mercury signed DeWanna Bonner a week prior, and that’s not all. Free-agent Emma Meesseman said she would prefer to sign with one of two WNBA teams in a recent report. It said her preference is two teams, one from the […]

A newer version of the Phoenix Suns should be expected for the 2025-26 season. With Devin Booker signing a massive contract extension, he’s the head of the snake, with a new supporting cast around him. After Phoenix landed Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Khaman Maluach in exchange for Kevin Durant, the Suns are going with […]

The Phoenix Suns have their franchise player back in Devin Booker, who signed a $145 million contract extension. It makes him the highest annually paid player in NBA history. Regardless of the lucrative contract, there are some positives, as well as some drawbacks, with the new deal. Let’s go through some of them. Devin Booker’s […]

PHOENIX– Devin Booker isn’t going anywhere. On Wednesday, the Phoenix Suns inked Booker to a two-year, $145 million contract. His contract makes him the highest-paid player per season on an annual basis in league history. However, this has felt long overdue, and only a sign of more things to come. Ever since Booker was drafted […]

PHOENIX– In her first game in the purple and orange since 2019, DeWanna Bonner returned to the Phoenix Mercury with cheers, applause, and adoration against the Minnesota Lynx. However, her physical condition was in question. After Bonner and the Indiana Fever parted ways, there were some concerns about how she would keep up with the […]

PHOENIX– Less than 24 hours after DeWanna Bonner was expected to sign with the Phoenix Mercury, her journey has come full-circle. The long-time WNBA All-Star landed in the Valley after a failed stint with the Indiana Fever. Funny enough, Bonner was a spectator during the Mercury’s thrashing of the Dallas Wings, 102-72 on Monday. She […]

PHOENIX– Being in the WNBA for nine seasons usually comes with its unique history. For sharpshooting Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb, she posted a career-high 36 points on Monday against the Dallas Wings. Her previous career-high? In 2021 with the New York Liberty, where she dropped 30 points It all began in the first quarter […]

When the Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, the writing was on the wall when the offseason began. It was also something that general manager Brian Gregory unfortunately knew would happen. Still, as the general manager, he needed to get the best return. After Durant told Phoenix his list of preferred destinations, […]