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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 though there hasn't been a playoff situation, it seems Tibbetts wants to get ahead of the curve with his rotation. In the Mercury's loss to the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, once again, the 8-player rotation was on display.
Despite facing one of the league's biggest lineups, Brown didn't receive any playing time. The same went for Held and Laksa. When asked about his rotation, the head coach gave an intriguing response.
Nate Tibbetts gave me an interesting response for if his eight-player rotation is set for the rest of the season.
“We’re going to have to continue to look at different lineups throughout the year, from game to game, but I like it.” pic.twitter.com/6tOIhV1eol
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) August 11, 2025
“Things changed. I liked what we saw the other night (against the Indiana Fever), but it probably won't be as good tonight. I think it's important for players to get in a rhythm. So, I do like it,” Tibbetts said. “If you look across the league, there are a lot of teams that play.
“We've played more early in the season. I think more because our hand was a little bit forced. I do like the 8-player rotation. We're going to have to continue to look at different lineups throughout the year and from game to game. But, yeah, I like it.”
Why has Nate Tibbetts stuck with the Mercury's 8-player rotation?
There's no definitive answer, but there might be some reasonable causes, from his perspective. Teams across the league have a set 8-10 player rotation that's useful for the playoffs.
However, the 2025 WNBA season won't end for Phoenix until September 11. There is plenty of time to still play Brown, Held, and Laksa and receive contributing minutes from them.
Laksa and Held are quality perimeter shooters, with the latter being one of the better pick-and-roll defenders in the league.
Meanwhile, Brown might not fit Tibbetts's ideal system of pace and space. Despite that, there is always a place for post-bigs that are as effective as hers.
She's not just a big body in the paint. Her footwork, touch, rebounding, and shot-blocking ability give the Mercury another dimension of depth.
If she's not being used against those bigger teams, then it does a disservice to have her on the roster in the first place.
Nate Tibbetts sees no issue with the 8-player rotation
Decision-making is especially tough for a head coach. There will be conflicts, tough conversations, and doing what is best for the team, even if it means sacrificing playing time for others.
Still, not playing Brown, Laksa, or Held might produce some rust down the stretch. Not keeping them warm and ready for game time action could cost them in a crucial game.
It's something that Tibbetts isn't worrying about. Quite the opposite seems true.
Followed up with Nate and asked how he can have his remaining three players (Kalani Brown, Lexi Held, Kitija Laksa) stay ready.
“We’ve got good players, so it’s their job to stay ready. They’re also good players, but I’ve also kind of decided to go in a different direction.” https://t.co/T9m6PCmd8L
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) August 11, 2025
“I think it's just being a professional,” Tibbetts said. “This is the hardest league in women's basketball, right? There aren't a lot of spots.
“We win today, we're the second-best team, second-best record in the league. So, we've got good players, and it's their job to stay ready. They're also good players. I've also just kind of decided to go in a different direction.”
Does this mean that the Mercury's 8-player rotation is officially set in stone for the remainder of the season? Judging from Tibbetts's comments, it certainly feels that way.
Playing teams like the Las Vegas Aces and the Chicago Sky– teams that have legitimate size in the frontcourt– could force the head coach to reach deep into his rotation.
If that's not the case, and the Mercury lose games down the stretch, people could start looking at the second-year Phoenix head coach with questions about his strategy with rotations.
