The 2023 Phoenix Mercury season was the 26th season for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the second season under head coach Vanessa Nygaard.
In October 2022, Skylar Diggins-Smith announced on Instagram that she was pregnant with her second child.
On December 8, 2022, Brittney Griner was successfully returned to the United States of America after the Brittney Griner–Viktor Bout prisoner exchange went through without issues. By extension, Griner returned to action with the Mercury and the WNBA after missing the entire 2022 WNBA season due to her being arrested and imprisoned in Russia (a place she had previously played in for years during the WNBA's offseasons by playing with the UMMC Ekaterinburg without prior issue) for medical cannabis, which is considered an illegal substance there. The Mercury later re-signed Griner to a new deal on February 17, 2023.
On December 20, 2022, Mercury team owner Robert Sarver agreed to a deal made by a new ownership group led by United Wholesale Mortgage's CEO Mat Ishbia and his older brother Justin Ishbia where Sarver would sell his majority shares of both the Mercury and Phoenix Suns to them under a joint deal worth a record-high $4 billion. This transition into new ownership was made during the month of September 2022 after an independent investigation led by the National Basketball Association revealed some ugly, disgusting behaviors he had throughout his ownership periods with both the Suns and Mercury, though primarily with the Suns. The NBA approved of the sale to the Ishbia brothers on February 6, 2023, with Sarver's transition out of ownership of both franchises being made official on February 7, 2023. Despite his removal from ownership, Sarver still had to serve his suspension for the 2023 WNBA season until September 13, 2023; he had since disputed that suspension claim during that season because of his lack of team ownership.
The Mercury began the season with two losses, but won their third game to finish 1–2 in May. The team continued with its sluggish start losing their first three games in June. After a single win, the team went on a six game losing streak and finishing the month with a 2–9 record Their only two wins in the month came against Indiana. In July the team fared slightly better, losing three straight games before winning three of four. However, the team lost its final three games of the month to finish 3–7. The Mercury showed improvement in August winning three of their first five games. However, that improvement didn't last, as they lost seven straight games to end the month. During their seven game losing streak, a 77–74 loss to the Dallas Wings eliminated the Mercury from playoff contention for the first time since 2012, and ended the longest active playoff streak in the WNBA at 10 straight years. Their losing streak continued as the Mercury lost all four games in September to finish 9–31 and ended the season on an eleven game losing streak. This was only the third season in Mercury history where they finished with single-digit wins, and their .225 winning percentage was the second lowest in franchise history. Their 31 losses were the most in a season in franchise history, though it was the first season the WNBA used a forty game schedule. During this season, it was announced that long-time general manager Jim Pitman (who held his position with the Mercury since October 2013 following Jason Rowley's brief stint there) would resign from his position following the end of this season, being replaced by former Golden State Warriors special assistant and executive Nick U'Ren entering the next season.
Transactions
WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country 3 27 Destiny Harden Miami 3 29 Kadi Sissoko USC
Transactions DateTransaction January 6, 2023 Hired Monica Wright-Rogers as Assistant General Manager January 12, 2023 Extended Qualifying Offers to Sophie Cunningham, Megan Gustafson, Shey Peddy, and Sam Thomas February 2, 2023 Signed Sam Thomas to a Qualifying Offer - Training Camp Contract February 3, 2023 Signed Sophie Cunningham to a 2-Year Deal Signed Megan Gustafson to a Training Camp Contract February 6, 2023 Signed Sydney Wiese and Jennie Simms to Training Camp Contracts February 11, 2023 Acquired Michaela Onyenwere, a 2024 Third-Round Pick (from Chicago), and a 2025 Second-Round Pick (from Chicago) in a 4-Team Trade involving the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, and the New York Liberty February 13, 2023 Signed Moriah Jefferson February 17, 2023 Signed Diana Taurasi to a 2-Year Deal Signed Brittney Griner Signed Shey Peddy to a Training Camp Contract February 28, 2023 Signed Sug Sutton to a Training Camp Contract March 2, 2023 Signed Destiny Slocum to a Training Camp Contract March 3, 2023 Hired Tully Bevilaqua as Assistant Coach March 27, 2023 Signed Kylee Shook to a Training Camp Contract April 11, 2023 Signed Essence Booker to a Training Camp Contract April 12, 2023 Signed Destiny Harden, Kadi Sissoko, and Liz Dixon to Training Camp Contracts April 21, 2023 Hired Taja Edwards as Assistant Coach April 27, 2023 Waived Sydney Wiese May 5, 2023 Waived Destiny Harden May 8, 2023 Waived Kylee Shook May 10, 2023 Waived Essence Booker May 13, 2023 Waived Liz Dixon and Destiny Slocum May 15, 2023 Exercised 4th-Year Team Option on Michaela Onyenwere May 16, 2023 Waived Jennie Simms and Sam Thomas May 18, 2023 Placed Skylar Diggins-Smith on the Inactive List due to Pregnancy/Child-Birth May 19, 2023 Signed Liz Dixon to a Hardship Contract May 21, 2023 Released Liz Dixon from her Hardship Contract June 21, 2023 Signed Sam Thomas to a Hardship Contract June 22, 2023 Waived Evina Westbrook Signed Jennie Simms to a Hardship Contract June 24, 2023 Released Sam Thomas from the Hardship Contract June 25, 2023 Fired Head Coach Vanessa Nygaard and named Nikki Blue as Interim Head Coach June 27, 2023 Signed Alaina Coates to a Hardship Contract June 29, 2023 Released Alaina Coates from the Hardship Contract June 30, 2023 Hired Charli Turner Thorne as an Assistant Coach July 10, 2023 Hired Nick U'Ren as General Manager July 20, 2023 Waived Jennie Simms Signed Liz Dixon to a 7-Day Contract July 29, 2023 Signed Liz Dixon to a 2nd 7-Day Contract August 7, 2023 Signed Destanni Henderson to a 7-Day Contract August 14, 2023 Signed Destanni Henderson to a 2nd 7-Day Contract August 17, 2023 Signed Liz Dixon to a 3rd 7-Day Contract August 18, 2023 Signed Ashley Joens to a 7-Day Contract August 20, 2023 Released Ashley Joens August 21, 2023 Signed Ashley Joens to a 2nd 7-Day Contract August 22, 2023 Signed Madi Williams to a 7-Day Contract August 29, 2023 Signed Ashley Joens tot a 3rd 7-Day Contract Signed Madi Williams to a 2nd 7-Day Contract September 5, 2023 Signed Ashley Joens to a Hardship Contract September 7, 2023 Signed Christyn Williams to a Hardship Contract
Roster Changes
Additions
PersonnelSigned/TradeFormer team Michaela Onyenwere Trade New York Liberty Moriah Jefferson Free Agency Minnesota Lynx Kadi Sissoko Draft Pick 2023 Draft Pick Sug Sutton Free Agency - Evina Westbrook Waiver Claim Washington Mystics Ashley Joens Free Agency Dallas Wings Madi Williams Free Agency Seattle Storm
Subtractions PersonnelReasonNew team Diamond DeShields Trade Dallas Wings Kaela Davis Free Agency - Reshanda Gray Free Agency - Kia Nurse Free Agency Seattle Storm Jennie Simms Waived - Sam Thomas Waived - Yvonne Turner Free Agency Seattle Storm
Roster
Depth Pos.StarterBench PG Moriah Jefferson Shey PeddySkylar Diggins-Smith(inactive) SG Diana Taurasi Sug Sutton SF Sophie Cunningham Ashley JoensMadi Williams PF Brianna Turner Michaela OnyenwereKadi Sissoko C Brittney Griner Megan Gustafson
Schedule
Preseason
| 1 | May 8 | @ Seattle | W 77–71 | Sug Sutton (11) | Megan Gustafson (7) | Kadi Sissoko (4) | Climate Pledge Arena5,119 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 12 | Los Angeles | L 71–91 | TaurasiCunningham (13) | Megan Gustafson (6) | Diana Taurasi (5) | Footprint CenterN/A | 1–1
Regular season
| 1 | May 19 | @ Los Angeles | L 71–94 | Brittney Griner (18) | TaurasiTurner (7) | Diana Taurasi (5) | Crypto.com Arena10,396 | 0–1 |- | 2 | May 21 | Chicago | L 69–75 | Brittney Griner (27) | GrinerTurner (10) | Diana Taurasi (6) | Footprint Center14,040 | 0–2 |- | 3 | May 25 | Minnesota | W 90–81 | Diana Taurasi (23) | Brianna Turner (11) | Diana Taurasi (10) | Footprint Center6,057 | 1-2
| 4 | June 2 | Los Angeles | L 93–99 (OT) | Brittney Griner (24) | Brittney Griner (11) | Sug Sutton (6) | Footprint Center8,815 | 1–3 |- | 5 | June 7 | @ Dallas | L 79–84 | Brittney Griner (24) | Diana Taurasi (6) | Diana Taurasi (7) | College Park Center4,242 | 1–4 |- | 6 | June 9 | @ Dallas | L 77–90 | Brittney Griner (18) | Brianna Turner (8) | Sug Sutton (9) | College Park Center6,251 | 1–5 |- | 7 | June 11 | @ Indiana | W 85–82 | Brittney Griner (29) | Michaela Onyenwere (12) | SuttonTaurasi (7) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse5,013 | 2–5 |- | 8 | June 13 | Seattle | L 69–83 | Sophie Cunningham (21) | Brianna Turner (10) | Shey Peddy (7) | Footprint Center7,044 | 2–6 |- | 9 | June 16 | @ Washington | L 69–88 | Michaela Onyenwere (20) | Michaela Onyenwere (9) | Sug Sutton (8) | Entertainment and Sports ArenaN/A | 2–7 |- | 10 | June 18 | @ New York | L 71–89 | Sophie Cunningham (27) | Megan Gustafson (7) | Sug Sutton (9) | Barclays Center9,278 | 2–8 |- | 11 | June 21 | Las Vegas | L 79–99 | Sug Sutton (21) | Megan Gustafson (10) | Sophie Cunningham (6) | Footprint Center11,580 | 2–9 |- | 12 | June 24 | @ Seattle | L 74–97 | Moriah Jefferson (18) | Brittney Griner (6) | Sug Sutton (7) | Climate Pledge Arena9,122 | 2–10 |- | 13 | June 27 | Dallas | L 62–77 | Brittney Griner (20) | Brianna Turner (7) | JeffersonSutton (4) | Footprint Center5,652 | 2–11 |- | 14 | June 29 | Indiana | W 85–63 | Brittney Griner (22) | Michaela Onyenwere (7) | Diana Taurasi (6) | Footprint Center9,047 | 3–11
| 15 | July 1 | Minnesota | L 76–86 | Brittney Griner (23) | Brianna Turner (13) | Moriah Jefferson (7) | Footprint Center8,777 | 3–12 |- | 16 | July 5 | @ New York | L 95–99 | Diana Taurasi (23) | Brittney Griner (8) | Diana Taurasi (7) | Barclays Center7,151 | 3–13 |- | 17 | July 7 | @ Minnesota | L 64–75 | Michaela Onyenwere (24) | GrinerTurner (8) | Sug Sutton (10) | Target Center7,714 | 3–14 |- | 18 | July 9 | Los Angeles | W 78–72 | Brittney Griner (29) | Brittney Griner (11) | Moriah Jefferson (8) | Footprint Center9,206 | 4–14 |- | 19 | July 11 | @ Las Vegas | L 72–98 | Michaela Onyenwere (18) | Brianna Turner (9) | Diana Taurasi (6) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,281 | 4–15 |- | 20 | July 18 | Connecticut | W 72–66 | Sophie Cunningham (17) | Brianna Turner (8) | Brittney Griner (5) | Footprint Center7,788 | 5–15 |- | 21 | July 20 | Chicago | W 80–62 | Shey Peddy (20) | Brittney Griner (11) | Sophie Cunningham (7) | Footprint Center11,292 | 6–15 |- | 22 | July 23 | @ Washington | L 69–84 | Sophie Cunningham (17) | CunninghamTurner (6) | Sug Sutton (6) | Entertainment and Sports Arena4,200 | 6–16 |- | 23 | July 25 | @ Atlanta | L 65–78 | Megan Gustafson (19) | Megan Gustafson (8) | JeffersonSutton (3) | Gateway Center Arena3,209 | 6–17 |- | 24 | July 30 | @ Chicago | L 85–104 | Diana Taurasi (24) | Megan Gustafson (8) | Moriah Jefferson (7) | Wintrust Arena8,914 | 6–18
| 25 | August 1 | @ Indiana | L 71–72 | Diana Taurasi (29) | Brianna Turner (8) | Moriah Jefferson (4) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse3,018 | 6–19 |- | 26 | August 3 | Atlanta | W 91–71 | Diana Taurasi (42) | GustafsonTurner (8) | Moriah Jefferson (4) | Footprint Center7,564 | 7–19 |- | 27 | August 5 | Seattle | L 91–97 | Diana Taurasi (28) | Brittney Griner (6) | Sug Sutton (8) | Footprint Center9,411 | 7–20 |- | 28 | August 8 | Washington | W 91–72 | JeffersonTaurasi (15) | Brianna Turner (8) | CunninghamJeffersonSuttonTaurasi (4) | Footprint Center6,610 | 8–20 |- | 29 | August 10 | Connecticut | W 90–84 | Brittney Griner (21) | Brittney Griner (10) | JeffersonTaurasi (5)