DeWanna Bonner is on the move again, and this time it's straight into a playoff race. After Phoenix bought her out once the Mercury fell out of postseason contention, Bonner is signing with the Atlanta Dream, according to reporting from Alexa Philippou.
DeWanna Bonner is headed to Atlanta to join the Dream, per @alexaphilippou.
This isn't some fringe roster flier. Bonner is a 2-time WNBA champion, a 6-time All-Star, and sits 3rd all-time in league scoring and 5th in career rebounds. At 39, she's the second-oldest player in the WNBA, but she was still starting games for Phoenix this year, averaging 10.6 points and 6.1 boards a night. That's not a farewell tour stat line, that's a player who can still help a contender right now.
Phoenix GM Nick U'Ren framed the buyout as a favor to a franchise legend, saying the deal gives Bonner "the opportunity to chase a title" in what could be her final postseason run. Bonner returned the sentiment, thanking the Mercury for the chance. It's a rare amicable split in a league where buyouts usually come with some tension.
Atlanta made plenty of sense as the landing spot. The Dream sit at 25-13 and are chasing the franchise's first-ever championship after getting bounced in the first round last postseason by Indiana. They reportedly beat out the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty for Bonner's services, signing her to a prorated max deal worth roughly $116,000 for the rest of the season.
Add Bonner to a Dream team that's already been putting up historic rebounding numbers and riding a hot streak, and Atlanta just got a lot scarier heading into the stretch run. Bonner won't be asked to be the star here, she'll likely come off the bench, but championship rosters are built on exactly this kind of depth move.
The bigger story is what this means for Bonner's legacy. A 17-season career that started back in 2009 could end with a 3rd ring, and it's happening in a place with real title aspirations instead of a rebuild. For a league that's suddenly loaded with star power, watching a veteran like this get one more real shot is exactly the kind of storyline worth following into the playoffs.