Phoenix Mercury star Skylar Diggins-Smith missed the team's first-round playoff series with the Las Vegas Aces due to personal reasons, where they were swept in two games. Throughout the campaign, Diggins-Smith also dealt with no shortage of drama, getting in altercations with teammates and rookie head coach, Vanessa Nygaard.
With her future certainly looking uncertain in the desert, Mercury GM Jim Pitman insists Diggins-Smith will see out the final year of her contract. Via Jeff Metcalfe:
“Sky is under contract for next year, yes,” Pitman told media during exit interviews on Sunday. “She's obviously not with us for personal reasons that [I] really can't talk about. But she is under contract, so yes.”
#Mercury GM Jim Pitman on status of Skylar Diggins-Smith for 2023 #WNBA pic.twitter.com/RbjIng3k2H
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) August 22, 2022
In fairness, the Mercury had a difficult time focusing this season as one of their own, Brittney Griner, remains in custody in Russia. She's facing nine years in prison but the US is still working tirelessly to bring her home. Diggins-Smith was one player in particular who got very emotional on the day of Griner's sentencing because Phoenix played that same day.
Nevertheless, Diggins-Smith still showed out in 2022, averaging 19.7 points and 5.5 assists, ranking towards the top of the WNBA in both categories. She's due to be paid $234,350 in 2023 in the final year of her deal. In fact, Diggins-Smith, Brianna Turner, and Diamond DeShields are the only Mercury players actually under contract for next season.
It will be interesting to see if she in fact does return to Phoenix because, by the sounds of it, Skylar Diggins-Smith isn't very happy with where she's at.
Follow Us
Subscribe