The 2024 Phoenix Mercury season was the 27th season for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association, and their first season under new general manager Nick U'Ren and head coach Nate Tibbetts. Prior to the season, interim coach Nikki Blue's contract was not renewed, and Tibbetts was hired on October 18, 2023.
The season tipped off on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, against the Las Vegas Aces in Las Vegas. The Mercury would go on to lose that game 80–89. However, they would win the next three games, including a ten-point win at Las Vegas, and three-point wins over Atlanta and Washington. However, they lost their final four games of the month, including a game against Connecticut where they scored only 47 points. They ended May 3–5. They began June by defeating Los Angeles at home. They lost in Seattle before winning their next two games. They would lose to Las Vegas before winning their next two games. The Mercury lost two of their last three games in June to finish to month 6–4. They opened July with a loss before winning their next three matches, including two against Dallas. THe would lose two games, before winning the final game before the Olympic break against Washington. They finished July 4–3. Their up and down season continued after the Olympic break as they alternated wins and losses for the first five games of the month. They finished the month by losing two games to finish 3–4. They entered September in the hunt for a playoff spot and lost four of their first five games in the month. However, they defeated Chicago and Los Angeles before losing the final game of the season to Seattle. The Mercury finished the month 3–5 and the season 19–21.
Their record saw them finish seventh in the WNBA, which qualified them for the playoffs. They faced off against the second seeded Minnesota Lynx in the First Round of the playoffs. They lost both games in Minnesota to lose the series two games to zero. The first game was closer as it finished 95–102, while the second was 88–101. Their nineteen wins more than doubled their win total from a season ago. It was the second time they qualified for the playoffs and were swept in the First Round in the past three years.
Transactions WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country 3 25 Charisma Osborne UCLA 3 29 Jaz Shelley Nebraska
Transactions DateTransaction October 28, 2023 Hired Nate Tibbetts as Head Coach January 17, 2024 Extended a Qualifying Offer to Sug Sutton January 27, 2024 Signed Sug Sutton to a Training Camp Contract February 1, 2024 Signed Natasha Cloud February 3, 2024 Acquired Rebecca Allen in exchange for Moriah Jefferson Signed Christyn Williams to a Training Camp Contract February 6, 2024 Acquired Kahleah Copper and the rights to Morgan Bertsch in exchange for Michaela Onyenwere, Brianna Turner, the third pick in the 2024 draft, Chicago's second round pick in the 2025 draft, Phoenix's 2026 first round pick, and the right to swap 2026 second round picks. February 8, 2024 Signed Mikiah Herbert Harrigan to a Training Camp Contract February 9, 2024 Signed Natasha Mack to a Training Camp Contract February 13, 2024 Signed Amy Atwell to a Training Camp Contract March 7, 2024 Signed Mya Hollingshed to a Training Camp Contract March 15, 2024 Waived Kadi Sissoko March 30, 2024 Re-Signed Brittney Griner April 16, 2024 Signed Charisma Osborne and Jaz Shelley to Rookie Contracts April 24, 2024 Signed Air Hearn, Bella Murekatete, and Desi-Rae Young to a Training Camp Contracts April 28, 2024 Waived Desi-Rae Young May 11, 2024 Waived Amy Atwell, Air Hearn, Mya Hollingshed, Bella Murekatete, Charisma Osborne, Jaz Shelley, and Christyn Williams Signed Liz Dixon to a Training Camp Contract from waivers June 10, 2024 Waived Morgan Bertsch June 13, 2024 Signed Charisma Osborne July 2, 2024 Waived Liz Dixon July 5, 2024 Signed Liz Dixon to 7-day contract July 12, 2024 Released Liz Dixon Signed Celeste Taylor to 7-day contract August 16, 2024 Released Celeste Taylor August 18, 2024 Signed Monique Billings to 7-day contract August 20, 2024 Acquired the rights to Klara Lundquist from the Washington Mystics in exchange for Sug Sutton and a 2025 3rd round pick August 23, 2024 Signed Celeste Taylor to a second 7-day contract August 25, 2024 Signed Monique Billings to a rest-of-season contract August 30, 2024 Signed Celeste Taylor to a third 7-day contract September 5, 2024 Signed Amy Atwell to a 7-day contract September 6, 2024 Signed Celeste Taylor to a rest-of-season contract
Roster changes
Additions PersonnelSigned/TradeFormer team Rebecca Allen Trade Connecticut Sun Morgan Bertsch Trade Chicago Sky Monique Billings Signed Dallas Wings Natasha Cloud Signed Washington Mystics Kahleah Copper Trade Chicago Sky Liz Dixon Signed Connecticut Sun Mikiah Herbert Harrigan Signed — Natasha Mack Signed — Charisma Osborne Draft UCLA Jaz Shelley Draft Nebraska Celeste Taylor Signed Connecticut Sun
Subtractions PersonnelReasonNew team Morgan Bertsch Waived – Skylar Diggins-Smith Free Agency Seattle Storm Liz Dixon Waived – Megan Gustafson Free Agency Las Vegas Aces Moriah Jefferson Trade Connecticut Sun Michaela Onyenwere Trade Chicago Sky Shey Peddy Free Agency — Jaz Shelley Waived — Kadi Sissoko Waived — Brianna Turner Trade Chicago Sky Sug Sutton Trade Washington Mystics
Roster
Depth Pos.StarterBench PG Natasha Cloud Charisma Osborne SG Diana Taurasi SF Kahleah Copper Rebecca Allen PF Sophie Cunningham Monique BillingsMikiah Herbert Harrigan C Brittney Griner Natasha Mack
Schedule Pre-season
| 1 | May 7 | @ Seattle | L 59–85 | Diana Taurasi (10) | Natasha Mack (7) | Brittney Griner (3) | Climate Pledge Arena | 0–1 |- | 2 | May 10 | vs. Los Angeles | L 85–98 | Kahleah Copper (16) | Natasha Mack (4) | Sug Sutton (5) | Footprint Center4,598 | 0–2
Regular season
| 1 | May 14 | @ Las Vegas | L 80–89 | Diana Taurasi (23) | Natasha Cloud (8) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,419 | 0–1 |- | 2 | May 18 | Atlanta | W 88–85 | Kahleah Copper (38) | Natasha Mack (11) | Natasha Cloud (5) | Footprint Center10,251 | 1–1 |- | 3 | May 21 | @ Las Vegas | W 98–88 | Kahleah Copper (37) | Sophie Cunningham (9) | Natasha Cloud (10) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,374 | 2–1 |- | 4 | May 23 | Washington | W 83–80 | Copper, Taurasi (20) | Natasha Mack (9) | Natasha Cloud (10) | Footprint Center7,474 | 3–1 |- | 5 | May 25 | Dallas | L 92–107 | Kahleah Copper (32) | Diana Taurasi (5) | Natasha Cloud (12) | Footprint Center8,339 | 3–2 |- | 6 | May 28 | @ Connecticut | L 47–70 | Natasha Cloud (9) | Sophie Cunningham (9) | Kahleah Copper (4) | Mohegan Sun Arena6,489 | 3–3 |- | 7 | May 29 | @ New York | L 78–81 | Kahleah Copper (20) | Kahleah Copper (9) | Sug Sutton (7) | Barclays Center9,182 | 3–4 |- | 8 | May 31 | @ Minnesota | L 71–95 | Kahleah Copper (21) | Natasha Mack (10) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Target Center7,035 | 3–5
| 9 | June 2 | Los Angeles | W 87–68 | Diana Taurasi (31) | Natasha Mack (12) | Natasha Cloud (12) | Footprint Center10,207 | 4–5 |- | 10 | June 4 | @ Seattle | L 62–80 | Kahleah Copper (19) | Kahleah Copper (7) | Natasha Cloud (5) | Climate Pledge Arena8,133 | 4–6 |- | 11 | June 7 | Minnesota | W 81–80 | Kahleah Copper (34) | Natasha Mack (7) | Natasha Cloud (10) | Footprint Center9,052 | 5–6 |- | 12 | June 9 | @ Dallas | W 97–90 | Kahleah Copper (29) | Brittney Griner (7) | Cloud, Taurasi (7) | College Park Center5,568 | 6–6 |- | 13 | June 13 | Las Vegas | L 99–103 | Brittney Griner (25) | Brittney Griner (9) | Cloud, Sutton (6) | Footprint Center9,325 | 6–7 |- | 14 | June 16 | Seattle | W 87–78 | Kahleah Copper (30) | Brittney Griner (9) | Natasha Cloud (8) | Footprint Center9,444 | 7–7 |- | 15 | June 18 | New York | W 99–93 | Griner, Taurasi (19) | Diana Taurasi (9) | Kahleah Copper (7) | Footprint Center9,824 | 8–7 |- | 16 | June 22 | @ Minnesota | L 60–73 | Natasha Cloud (14) | Brittney Griner (7) | Natasha Cloud (5) | Target Center8,769 | 8–8 |- | 17 | June 28 | Los Angeles | W 92–78 | Kahleah Copper (24) | Brittney Griner (11) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Footprint Center14,363 | 9–8 |- | 18 | June 30 | Indiana | L 82–82 | Brittney Griner (24) | Rebecca Allen (9) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Footprint Center17,071 | 9–9
| 19 | July 1 | Connecticut | L 72–83 | Copper, Griner (21) | Kahleah Copper (6) | Natasha Cloud (10) | Footprint Center8,445 | 9–10 |- | 20 | July 3 | @ Dallas | W 104–96 | Kahleah Copper (34) | Brittney Griner (8) | Natasha Cloud (10) | College Park Center6,129 | 10–10 |- | 21 | July 7 | @ Los Angeles | W 84–78 | Natasha Cloud (31) | Kahleah Copper (10) | Cloud, Copper (5) | Crypto.com Arena11,618 | 11–10 |- | 22 | July 10 | Dallas | W 100–84 | Kahleah Copper (32) | Kahleah Copper (5) | Natasha Cloud (6) | Footprint Center11,601 | 12–10 |- | 23 | July 12 | @ Indiana | L 86–95 | Kahleah Copper (36) | Natasha Mack (9) | Celeste Taylor (5) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse17,274 | 12–11 |- | 24 | July 14 | @ Connecticut | L 69–96 | Kahleah Copper (17) | Brittney Griner (9) | Natasha Cloud (6) | Mohegan Sun Arena8,910 | 12–12 |- | 25 | July 16 | @ Washington | W 96–87 | Brittney Griner (23) | Natasha Cloud (9) | Natasha Cloud (10) | Capital One Arena12,586 | 13–12
| 26 | August 15 | @ Chicago | W 85–65 | Kahleah Copper (29) | Brittney Griner (9) | Cloud, Griner (6) | Wintrust Arena9,025 | 14–12 |- | 27 | August 16 | @ Indiana | L 89–98 | Kahleah Copper (32) | Kahleah Copper (8) | Kahleah Copper (6) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse17,274 | 14–13 |- | 28 | August 18 | Chicago | W 86–68 | Diana Taurasi (23) | Sophie Cunningham (10) | Diana Taurasi (5) | Footprint Center14,267 | 15–13 |- | 29 | August 21 | @ Atlanta | L 63–72 | Kahleah Copper (22) | Cloud, Griner (8) | Diana Taurasi (4) | Gateway Center Arena3,260 | 15–14 |- | 30 | August 23 | @ Atlanta | W 82–80 | Brittney Griner (22) | Sophie Cunningham (7) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Gateway Center Arena3,260 | 16–14 |- | 31 | August 26 | New York | L 70–84 | Brittney Griner (22) | Cloud, Griner (6) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Footprint Center10,299 | 16–15 |- | 32 | August 28 | Minnesota | L 76–89 | Cunningham, Taurasi (16) | Griner, Mack (7) | Natasha Cloud (8) | Footprint Center9,482 | 16–16
| 33 | September 1 | Las Vegas | L 79–97 | Brittney Griner (24) | Kahleah Copper (6) | Diana Taurasi (7) | Footprint Center13,981 | 16–17 |- | 34 | September 3 | Atlanta | W 74–66 | Kahleah Copper (28) | Brittney Griner (8) | Diana Taurasi (5) | Footprint Center7,639 | 17–17 |- | 35 | September 5 | Washington | L 77–90 | Brittney Griner (15) | Natasha Mack (9) | Celeste Taylor (6) | Footprint Center7,709 | 17–18 |- | 36 | September 7 | @ Seattle | L 66–90 | Diana Taurasi (18) | Brittney Griner (8) | Natasha Cloud (6) | Climate Pledge Arena14,066 | 17–19 |- | 37 | September 13 | Connecticut | L 69–88 | Brittney Griner (26) | Brittney Griner (9) | Natasha Cloud (7) | Footprint Center14,190 | 17–20 |- | 38 | September 15 | @ Chicago | W 93–88 | Brittney Griner (26) | Brittney Griner (10) | Natasha Cloud (11) | Wintrust Arena8,577 | 18–20 |- | 39 | September 17 | @ Los Angeles | W 85–81 | Cunningham, Griner (14) | Celeste Taylor (5) | Natasha Cloud (12) | Crypto.com Arena11,294 | 19–20 |- | 40 | September 19 | Seattle | L 70–89 | Brittney Griner (11) | Brittney Griner (8) | Copper, Taylor (5) | Footprint Center11,333 | 19–21
Playoffs
| 1 | September 22 | rowspan=2| @ Minnesota | L 95–102 | Natasha Cloud (33) | Cloud, Griner (6) | rowspan=2| Natasha Cloud (10) | Target Center8,524 | 0–1
| 2 | September 25 | L 88–101 | Brittney Griner (24) | 4 players (5) | Target Center8,769 | 0–2
Standings
Playoffs
Statistics
Regular season