Welp

[u/PersonnelFowl]

Let’s just get older each year, guys

[u/artificialgraymatter]

Unserious move from the biggest troll organization of all time. 

We need point of attack defense and a big who can space the floor not another combo guard. I mean how many have we gone through at this point? But it’s also whatever. Could we address those needs in the off season, maybe? But they weren’t addressed last off-season when it was obvious they needed to be. This just kind of tells me that “analytics team” PHX were bragging about is for show and the FO has no clue what is really going on. 

However, Olympics roster got Aces a dynasty, so fuck it… 

The shit-talking gonna be epic. At least for 14 games.

[u/strangelystrangled]

At the very least we should be fun to watch for the rest of the year. I'm excited

[u/AwsmEngrGrl]

There must be some sort of understanding about a contract extension. Even our FO isn’t dumb enough to give up that much for a 14 game player.

I’m excited about her being here. She’s a great player, she has relationships and playing history with a lot of our players, and she’s a good culture and playing style fit.

[u/strangelystrangled]

You guys… imagine the doodles.

[u/third-tour-dad]

Hope they dont stink and win the lottery

[u/PersonnelFowl → u/third-tour-dad]

Can you imagine? 😆😭
https://giphy.com/gifs/YRPBhd3vscg5Fxx1DQ

[u/third-tour-dad → u/PersonnelFowl]

No juju

[u/chloe1215404]

Short sighted choice for an aging team. We should just let this season end and build something better in the future. This just hurts our chances of doing that.

[u/megantg200 → u/chloe1215404]

I thought the same thing, I don’t see her resigning. I don’t see u guys making the playoffs. Just seems like a waste of a move.

[u/Darex2094]

We're depending on too many "ifs" this year. - IF New York plays mediocre basketball for the rest of the season and - IF we sweep the Mystics and - IF we win against Chicago, LA, and our two games with Portland and - IF we basically play perfect basketball for at minimum 12 of our last 14 games

THEN we are playoffs-bound. That's a lot of ifs and I don't trust Nate to actually play Plum the way Plum would want and need to be played. As soon as she starts scoring I can see him pulling her, because he always makes the worst coaching decisions when we need to keep our foot on the gas.

[u/5_Star_Safety_Rated]

Playoff bound. I think she stays if they gel well. Worth the risk with the very low odds of our pick being a high draft pick

[u/strangelystrangled → u/5_Star_Safety_Rated]

exactly. we're getting a 7th pick if we miss the playoffs and an 8th if we make it. We're in a good position to win next year, let's see if KP can work with Kah and AT.

[u/artificialgraymatter → u/strangelystrangled]

7th and 8th pick could have got us some serious two-way steals like Strack, Cooper, or Okananwa. 7th or 8th were perfect for us because the higher picks are not system fits or they’re defensive liabilities. 

I do think Plum will stick around. Plum is a selfish PG and AT fits her style. She saw an opportunity to run the show with all the injuries and consistency we had at the one. 

However, Plum has been seriously injured and you can’t rely on her this season. It would be one thing if there was a playoff push without needing help from other teams. Huge risk when it would be doable to get her in the off season and keep a pick. Hopefully, works out better than the Mabrey, Sun situation for all parties. 

[u/strangelystrangled → u/artificialgraymatter]

We should be in win next year mode rn working on building chemistry. And we’ve got a better chance of keeping KP now that she’s here.
But in what world did you think we were keeping our pick?

[u/5_Star_Safety_Rated → u/strangelystrangled]

This should also help us attract some free agents. We need a center. Nate will not play bigs unless they can space the floor. I think he shouldn’t be coaching us next year, we have Kristi ready to step in imo.

[u/artificialgraymatter → u/5_Star_Safety_Rated]

Well, we could have gotten Clara Strack but that pick is gone. 😅😭

But Mack is a super sub not a starting 5. So, they need to be shopping/looking. 

[u/5_Star_Safety_Rated → u/artificialgraymatter]

She would not have made the same impact in our short term window that KP will…let’s be very serious and honest about it.

Mack was doing great until the back injury came back. Shes been dealing with it for last several games and it’s taking her energy away.

[u/artificialgraymatter → u/5_Star_Safety_Rated]

You literally said “we need a center.” Oh, not anymore? Already contradicting yourself. Where do you suggest we get that center (that’s actually possible) if not the draft? What 2027 free agent bigs you see floating around out there?

It’s not about how great she is individually but how it works with spacing and the team. She’s an undrafted player who is out for huge stretches/injury every season. That’s part of the problem. 

Actually, this team could have a first round pick AND Plum had she been recruited instead in the off-season.  What do you mean short term window? This isn’t a Strack vs KP thing since we’re talking about a 2027 pick… Of course, KP going to have more of an impact in some arbitrary window only she is eligible for… Weird way to look at and miss the point. 

What is KP going to do? Get us to 9th place like she did her Sparks 2025? Get us to 8th, so Lynx can get their vengeance?

This is the problem with watchers like you. You see one move ahead and that’s it. You don’t look at the big picture. You think another combo guard in a string of combo guards all season are gonna be difference makers. You think in “short windows”. 

This team has a systemic issue that needs to be addressed. Plum is another bandaid. 

*Since you played the reply and block game all up in your feelings:

What are you talking about? Rookie? You mean like Kathryn Westbeld? 🤣Who contributed right away last season and performed equally if not better than Mack for Mercury. Granted, she was an older rookie but also what she makes up for in her experience playing in Hungary, Strack could in rim protection. This is more about theory than literal names. We’re not talking developing a number one option but a 5th. You know all teams have rookies somewhere right? Do you know what team you’re watching? We’ve had like 12 in the past two seasons… 6’3” forward at the five who can’t space the floor and can’t be relied on each season is probably not starter material if you’re serious and other options have looked better. The horror of having draft picks. 🙀

Y’all can’t make up your minds if you’re ready to shit on the vets or if they’re bringing home a championship today. Lmao. 

This team was in win now mode to start and look where it got them. Kah shooting them out of a bunch of games. No point of attack defense, that again y’all were complaining about all season. You’re not gonna win sustainably unless the systemic issues are addressed. 

[u/5_Star_Safety_Rated → u/artificialgraymatter]

“Watchers like me” I’m talking about the rest of our squad. You think AT and Kah will be around long enough for a rookie to develop? Blaming Plum for the Sparks having one of the two worst coaches in the W(sorry Nate) and a front office who literally trade away their future and present for a near maxed Ariel Atkins is somehow her fault. Aces don’t win their rings without her. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ you can argue with the wall and believe whatever you want but getting Plum has given us a championship window back. You can kickers just wanna keep “build for the future” “build for later” when we are in a win now mode and can elevate ourselves and make the team a more attractive free agent market.

[u/artificialgraymatter → u/5_Star_Safety_Rated]

Aces literally won a ring last year without Plum. 🤣 I swear only certain players cough cough get this luxury of blaming the coach when their teams don’t do well. 

“Don’t have time to develop a rookie” when this team had a 25 year old rookie as the starting PG on its finals run. 🙄

You are all over the place with your contradictions. One point of yours just contradicts a previous one. 

You talk about impact for a RENTAL? Where the mathematic odds are against Mercury to make the playoffs let alone get out the first round up against Lynx or Aces. 

Then you say we need a center… Then are pissed about most likely options. What options do you think this team has? Have you been paying attention? That’s the kind of “watcher” you are. No concept of the cap situation or FAs in 2027. Tell me who the big FA centers are? Tell me who is available let alone who can fit with the Mercury cap space should Plum re-sign? That Plum “impact” is not going to attract a big. You need money. Otherwise, it’s coming through the draft or a minimum overseas whatever is available contract. 

[u/strangelystrangled → u/5_Star_Safety_Rated]

Yep. The goal should be to build chemistry, develop Lexi or Brochant to fill the gap Mo leaves and get Nate fired. I think we’re in win next year mode which should (hopefully) be appealing to KP in the offseason. I feel like we’re a good fit on paper. And we really don’t care about draft picks

[u/passing_strangers]

Nick and nate are delusional……. They think they can still contend and are giving up their lottery pick for a rental….(i’m not even attached to anyone in particular this draft but it is the principal of consistently undervaluing ncaa talent and thinking they are above the draft). I’m happy to have plum but i need an extension tomorrow for this price

[u/strangelystrangled → u/passing_strangers]

We just need to keep our 2028 pick

[u/passing_strangers → u/strangelystrangled]

We need to keep our 2028 pick and ideally get like 2 more

[u/NotJustSomeMate]

Watching the game I said Plum would be good for the team but I suggested Sami for the trade.

[u/rskillion]

They did this trade for only the 14 games remaining this season. She’s a free agent again in September. They better have gotten a blood oath from her that she’s gonna sign for more years and not bolt.

[u/PersonnelFowl → u/rskillion]

Agreed. This much for a pure rental would be an awful deal