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Let's Set Odds: Where Will Tina Charles Sign After Leaving Phoenix Mercury?

By Ben Heisler

Former Phoenix Mercury center Tina Charles has agreed to a "contract divorce" with her former team and will look to sign elsewhere the rest of 2022.
Former Phoenix Mercury center Tina Charles has agreed to a "contract divorce" with her former team and will look to sign elsewhere the rest of 2022. / Christian Petersen/GettyImages
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The Phoenix Mercury have looked out of sorts all season since star center Brittney Griner was detained in Russia back in early March.

They're 6-12 on the season while ranked 10th out of 12 teams in the WNBA this year. With no turnaround in sight, they're now moving on from one of their top players in future Hall of Famer Tina Charles.

Last year's WNBA scoring leader signed on with the Mercury at the beginning of February, and while she's performed well, the team has not consistently gelled all season for a team with high expectations. As a result, Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman said in a release, "After discussions with Tina and her agent, it was best for both parties to go their separate ways at this time..."

The Mercury began at +550 odds to win the WNBA Championship at consensus sportsbooks. Even without Griner, their All-Star roster featured future Hall of Famer Diana Taurasi, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Diamond DeShields, Brianna Turner, and the aforementioned Charles; who was second on the team in both points and rebounds this season.

It's not often a player of Charles' caliber is available to a contender midway through the season, so which team is best fit to bring her on.

It's time to set the odds on where she ends up next.

Odds for Tina Charles' Next WNBA Team

  • Storm +110
  • Mystics +250
  • Aces +300
  • The Field +150

Seattle Storm +110

The Storm are in win-now mode in Sue Bird's final season, and even with Ezi MacBegor putting up solid numbers at the center spot, an upgrade to Charles would put the Storm firmly into the top tier of title contenders with Las Vegas, Connecticut and Chicago.

Seattle is a slower-paced team that would fit in perfectly with the 33-year old's skillset inside. It would also provide less double-teams for potential MVP candidate Brianna Stewart.

Washington Mystics +250

Charles led the WNBA in scoring in Washington a season ago, so why not return to a system and team where she dominated just last year?

While the Mystics just drafted Shakira Austin No. 3 overall at the same position, but what better veteran influence to have over their highest upside player on the roster than a future Hall of Famer? A Charles return to D.C. immediately adds a much-needed influx of scoring to Washington's roster, who already lead the league in Defensive Rating.

Las Vegas Aces +300

The rich get richer as the best team in the league could welcome in Charles for a shot at a title in Becky Hammon's first year.

While A'Ja Wilson is an explosive scorer and rebounder already, the Aces are creative enough offensively to use both together to help add some more size in the front court for the right matchups.

Charles wouldn't likely get the same minutes or put up the same numbers she has now, but there's no reason why she couldn't remain a force and help the Aces separate even more from the pack.

The Field +150

Teams like the Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty certainly could be in play, as Charles has ties to both during her playing career, and grew up in Jamaica, New York.

Ultimately, Connecticut is set at center with last year's MVP in Jonquel Jones, and while the Liberty could always use someone like Charles in their lineup, they may be too far away from contention this season for a return to be warranted.

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