On Tuesday night, Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports reported that DeWanna Bonner — the prized offseason acquisition for the Indiana Fever — wanted out.
Bonner, who signed an unprotected $200,000 deal this offseason in Indiana, has missed the past five games for personal reasons. She began the season as a starter, but was benched for Lexie Hull, which appears to be a big part of her decision to step away from the Fever.
So, now what? The team apparently tried to find a trade partner for Bonner, but her salary made that difficult. Instead, the Fever waived Bonner on Wednesday, leaving them responsible for only the prorated salary for the time she spent in Indianapolis and leaving her free to sign elsewhere.
Now that Bonner has exited the Fever, here are four that should kick the tires.
Phoenix Mercury
Virtually everyone expected Bonner would follow Alyssa Thomas to Phoenix in the offseason, so it's no surprise that Costabile reported the Mercury as one of her two desired destinations.
Phoenix could cut someone like Murjanatu Musa or Megan McConnell without issue and sign Bonner if the Fever release her. It's not clear if this would solve the "wants to start" issue, but Phoenix — a place where Bonner spent 10 seasons to start her career — might be the one spot where not starting wouldn't be a deal breaker.
The Mercury have a weird mix of veterans and young players, with a number of undrafted rookies playing key roles. Adding a veteran scorer wouldn't hurt, even if Bonner has struggled with her efficiency more than usual.
Atlanta Dream
Alright, I'm going to be honest with you: I don't love the fit here and the cap math is a little awkward, but the Dream are reportedly one of Bonner's top two destinations, so I have to mention it.
Atlanta has been one of the league's most surprising teams, with new head coach Karl Smesko's offensive system working well. One issue, though, has been that the frontcourt of Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner hasn't contributed to the team's main offensive goal, which is shooting the ball a lot.
Benching either player — especially Griner — feels sacrilegious, but Bonner as a stretch four could be a lot of fun. I'm just not sure I can see it actually happening. If Bonner went here and expected to start, it might look more like Jordin Canada going to the bench and the team running Allisha Gray at the point with Bonner at the three? If that was the case, I'd be a hard no on this move.
Connecticut Sun
Could Connecticut bring DeWanna Bonner back? After five seasons with the Sun, Bonner was part of a mass exodus this offseason that saw the team's entire starting unit from last year depart.
Bonner isn't winning many more basketball games if she goes back to Connecticut, but if she were willing to take on a mentor role, the team could really use her. She could help Saniya Rivers grow, plus she'd have plenty of opportunities to put up shots, especially if the move was made soon, since Marina Mabrey will miss two to four weeks with a knee injury.
Look, if Bonner wants a shot at winning a ring, Connecticut isn't the answer. But if she wants to help an organization she was part of for a half-decade rebuild while putting up a lot of buckets, the Sun is an option.
Golden State Valkyries
No team has surprised more this year than the Golden State Valkyries. Built through the expansion draft, which essentially meant they were picking every team's seventh-best player, the team currently sits sixth in the WNBA standings.
While making a playoff run probably isn't great for long-term roster building as it would keep the team from getting a lottery pick in 2026, it seems like Golden State wants to make a push. What better way than by adding more veteran talent?
Bonner would instantly have a sizable role on this team. Kayla Thornton is the current scoring leader for Golden State, but would be more efficient if that role were scaled down. Adding a bona fide No. 1 scorer in Bonner in addition to finally getting Tiffany Hayes back from injury might be enough to guarantee the Valkyries head to the playoffs in their debut season.