Phoenix Mercury projected starting lineup with Alyssa Thomas

For as long as most WNBA fans can remember, the Phoenix Mercury have had two spots in their starting lineup solidifed year after year.

At shooting guard, it was Diana Taurasi, and at center, it was Brittney Griner.

But Griner left in free agency to play for the Atlanta Dream, and Taurasi is a free agent who is considering retirement. While neither player was at the peak of their game in 2024 for a struggling Mercury team, the two were a staple in the organization for some time.

The good news is that the team recently acquired Alyssa Thomas, who has been one of the league's top players for the past several years. Phoenix dealt Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen, and the No. 12 pick in this year's WNBA Draft in return.

Obviously, the Mercury will look quite a bit different next year, but for a team that finished below .500, that is not always a bad thing.

Phoenix Mercury projected starting lineup

PG: Diana Taurasi
SG: Kahleah Copper
SF: Natasha Mack
PF: Alyssa Thomas
C: Satou Sabally

Bench: Monique Billings, Celeste Taylor, Raven Johnson/Serena Sundell

This starting lineup actually has a bit of juice considering the pieces that Phoenix has already lost this offseason.

With Griner, Sophie Cunningham, and several other key players from her tenure leaving, it would not surprise me to see Taurasi hang up her jersey. However, the Mercury are a bit short in the depth department as it stands now, so the team pushing for one final season with Taurasi makes sense.

This season would be the farewell tour that Taurasi has earned. Taurasi would be the primary ball handler for this Mercury team, and while she is nowhere near her peak as a player, she can still be very effective given the weapons around her.

Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack are set to be the wings for this Mercury team. Copper had a career year in 2024 in her first season in Phoenix, averaging over 20 points per game and landing on the Second-Team All-WNBA. Mack is as steady and efficient as they come, serving as a glue player that excels in rebounding and defense.

The two wings complement each other well and should fit in nicely with an offense featuring a do-it-all big like Alyssa Thomas. Thomas is a bit smaller than a conventional power forward, but that hasn't stopped her at any point in her career so far. She is one of the league's best and should benefit greatly from having elite shooting at all four other starting spots.

Satou Sabally was just traded on Friday evening, and with the departures of Griner and Cunningham, as well as a few other key pieces, this is a swing that the Mercury had to make. Sabally averaged incredible numbers for the Wings a season ago despite playing a secondary role, so it stands to reason that she should be effective in a talented starting lineup in Phoenix as well.

While this lineup lacks the size down low that other teams will have, this team would be able to spread you out and hit shots from the outside at will. When opponents are forced to close out, then the Mercury could use their speed advantage to get inside.

Rebounding would have to be a group effort, and they would have to dial in defensively against elite bigs like A'ja Wilson or Griner, but this lineup could have tons of success.

Both Billings and Taylor played key roles off the bench last season for Phoenix and would be asked to do the same thing in 2025. As it stands now, the Mercury will not be picking in the draft until No. 19, they could add Raven Johnson from South Carolina or Serena Sundell from Kansas State as a backup point guard.