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Is a homecoming on the rise for current disgruntled Indiana Fever forward DeWanna Bonner? It's certainly a possibility, and according to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, the Atlanta Dream and the Phoenix Mercury are her preferred teams.
Why would this be, though?
After Bonner signed with the Fever in the offseason, she was set to be a pivotal part of the team's championship aspirations. She has the credentials, experience, and mental toughness.
Fast forward to late June, and the All-Star forward wants no part of Indiana. On Tuesday, it was official that Bonner doesn't plan to return to the Fever.
Circling back to the Mercury, though, is it a possibility for a homecoming? If that's the case, there are a multitude of factors involved in a return.
Bonner can return to where it all started with the Mercury
In the 2009 WNBA Draft, Phoenix selected the former Auburn basketball standout with the fifth overall pick. Her rookie season was one to remember, and one that laid the foundation for her career.
During that rookie season, the Mercury captured their second WNBA championship in franchise history. While Diana Taurasi spearheaded the success, Bonner, off the bench, was a major beneficiary. So much so that she won three consecutive Sixth Player of the Year awards (2009-11), her ability as a stretch-big wasn't seen at the WNBA level, and it was one that caught many by surprise.
As her career progressed, she became a full-time starter and made an even more incredible impact. In the 2015 season, she was awarded her first All-WNBA selection.
However, four years later, she ended up with the Connecticut Sun, alongside her current fiancée, Alyssa Thomas. That could be a lingering storyline for some to eat up like a Thanksgiving feast.
However, as Thomas said in her introductory press conference, she and Bonner are both their own players. They can make their own decisions, regardless of any speculation that they want to be together during the regular season.
The Mercury might not want DeWanna Bonner
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This saying has been repeated multiple times, and it holds true: “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
That sentiment is the current state of the Mercury. Their 11-4 record, and the trio of Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally, and Thomas, have been exceptional.
Despite the trio's achievements, they haven't played many games together. Rather, it's the culture, defense, and the rookies – who aren't really rookies – stepping up to the plate.
Players like Monique Akoa Makani, Kathryn Westbeld, Lexi Held, and Kitija Laksa have all played overseas and have excelled. That excellence has translated to the WNBA rather seamlessly.
Westbeld and Makani are two of the starters. Adding Bonner to the mix could push Westbeld to the bench, as both play center.
Another option could be sending the Cameroonian guard to the bench, and having Copper run the point, while including Westbeld and Bonner in the same starting unit.
This might be a risk the front office is not willing to make. Even though she's had a storied career, harming what is brewing could turn the potion of success into one of disaster.
Either way, time isn't on Phoenix's side. As Costabile's article said, Bonner is also interested in the Dream.
The writing was on the wall for Bonner to leave the Fever. Now, it's about finding the right fit, and that might be back in the Valley of the Sun.
