DeWanna Bonner, the WNBA’s active leading scorer and third-leading scorer in league history, is now a free agent.
Bonner, 39, and her former team, the Phoenix Mercury, came to terms on a buyout of her contract. Once she passes through waivers, Bonner will be free to sign with any WNBA team for the stretch run of the regular season and then the postseason.
This comes only two days after the Phoenix Mercury were officially eliminated from postseason contention, following their 97–87 loss on Saturday to the Atlanta Dream. The Mercury (13-24) advanced to last year’s WNBA Finals, with Bonner being a big part of that. This marks just the second time over the last 14 years that the WNBA playoffs will be contested without Phoenix.
The team’s general manager, Nick U’Ren, released a statement praising Bonner for what she brought to the franchise over her dozen seasons with the team, as well as acknowledging that this transaction is in the best interest of the player.
Bonner, having turned 39 years old last week, is the second-oldest player in the WNBA, just one month younger than Alysha Clark of the Dallas Wings. She hasn’t announced that she will retire at season’s end, but this move is an indication that a retirement could be in the cards.
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“At this stage of my career, I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m grateful to the Mercury for giving me the opportunity to play in what could be one of my final postseason opportunities,” Bonner said in a press release. “The fans, this community and the Mercury organization have embraced me throughout my career, and I’ll always be grateful for that. Being part of this franchise has given me so many incredible memories, and Phoenix will always be a special part of my career.”
Bonner has played in all 38 of the Mercury’s games this season, averaging 10.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals. She rejoined the Mercury during the 2025 WNBA season after beginning it with the Indiana Fever. Prior to that, she played five seasons with the Connecticut Sun, which came after spending the first 11 years of her career with the Mercury.
Bonner is one of the most accomplished players in the 30-year history of the W and a sure-fire Hall of Famer. She leads all active WNBA players in points, games, minutes, and free throws made. Among all players in WNBA history, Bonner ranks second in games played, third in points, fifth in total rebounds, and sixth in steals. She is also the winningest player of all-time, has played in the most playoff games, and also has the most postseason appearances.
A six-time All-Star and record three-time winner of the Sixth Player of the Year award, Bonner won two championships with the Mercury (2009, 2014). She’s also a two-time All-WNBA selection, and in the midst of her career in the W, she spent years playing overseas in the likes of Spain, Czechia, Turkey, and Israel.
This move comes at a convenient time not only for Bonner but also for whichever club she signs with. That’s because the WNBA is set to go on a break at the end of August due to the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which will take place Sept. 4–13 in Germany.
The league will go on break from Aug. 31 to Sept. 16, which will give Bonner two-and-a-half weeks of extra time to integrate herself into her new team and get acquainted with new teammates. Once the W resumes play on Sept. 17, that will be just one week before the regular season comes to a close on Sept. 24. The playoffs then begin three days later.
Seven of the eight postseason bids have already been clinched, with two teams left for the last spot, though one is overwhelmingly favored to land it. Those two teams are the Dallas Wings, with a 22-16 record, and the Portland Fire, who are 15-22. The only way Dallas won’t notch this last postseason spot is if it loses each of its last six games, combined with the Fire winning each of its last seven games.
Bonner will be free to sign with any of those eight teams once she passes through waivers as she seeks her third WNBA championship. There isn’t a favored team to land her that has emerged as of yet, but the Minnesota Lynx are the favorite to win the championship, as they will enter the 2026 WNBA playoffs as the No. 1 seed and with the league’s best record.
