Before the deadline, the Mercury let go of their rookie guard and moved on to a WNBA title contender.
Celeste Taylor, a rookie guard, had her seven-day contract expire on Thursday night and had already found a new team. The deadline to sign her contract was only hours after the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Chicago Sky 85-65.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and remember to subscribe!
After her previous contract with the Mercury ended at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Taylor, the Indiana Fever’s second-round (15th overall) choice in the 2024 WNBA Draft, inked a seven-day agreement with the Connecticut Sun.
She appeared in five games with the Fever to begin the season before being released on June 25.
Then, on July 12, she was signed by the Mercury, and she started working right away. Taylor, an Ohio State graduate, made her Mercury debut off the bench for head coach Nate Tibbetts of Phoenix. The Mercury lost 95–86, and Taylor played 24 minutes in her team’s debut. Natasha Cloud was sidelined with a left knee injury, leaving the team with just six healthy players after Brittney Griner was knocked out.
The 23-year-old’s contract with the Mercury ended after just four games of action. Her averages for each game were 2.5 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 rebounds. Taylor scored a career-high six points against the Sky.
The No. 2 seeded Sun signed her after she was free agency for less than a day, hoping to lock up one of the top playoff berths before the regular season ends. Connecticut, who is now 18-6, will play the Dallas Wings tonight to resume play following the Olympic break. The Sun, who are only three games behind the league-best New York Liberty, are headed by talents DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones, and DiJonai Carrington.
*Receive the BEST insider knowledge on Phoenix sports, along with special stuff. To access our premium content, SIGN UP HERE!*
