Mercury Coach Explains Impact of DeWanna Bonner Addition After Win Over Valkyries

Recording season-highs in points, rebounds, and minutes played in just her second game with the Mercury this season, Bonner's double-double was a difference maker, helping Phoenix eke out a win over a competitive Golden State squad.

Signing the 37-year-old wasn't a no-brainer for the Mercury. On the contrary, there were legitimate concerns about bringing her into a deep Mercury squad that already boasts a strong supply of frontcourt talent. But the early results have been encouraging, and Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts raved about her addition.

"She just brings an easiness to the group. She's seen everything -- this is year 16," Tibbetts told media following Monday's win. "Her size, you don't really realize how big she is. She just makes plays, she's never in a hurry. She doesn't really even know all of our sets yet, we're kinda learning as we go."

The quick transition hasn't been much of a roadblock for Bonner, who's scored 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting in her first two games with Phoenix this season. And Tibbetts seems excited about the versatility that she brings to the table.

"She can play the three, she can play the two, she can play the four, she hasn't even played the five yet for us, but we're gonna do that."

The 6-foot-4 Bonner joins an already dominant forward unit headlined by a pair of All-Stars, her fiancée Alyssa Thomas and Mercury leading scorer Satou Sabally. If she can indeed fill a variety of roles, it's an intriguing bench piece for a team that already ranks among the league's best.

A free agent signing by the Indiana Fever this offseason, Bonner struggled to mesh with a new group, averaging just 7.1 PPG and a career-low 21.3 minutes in 9 games before her extended absence and ultimate departure.

It's a small sample size, but the 6-time All-Star and 2-time WNBA champion is looking much more comfortable upon her return to Phoenix.

"We're really excited," continued Tibbetts. "She hadn't played in a month, and so she's getting her legs back under her. I think she was cramping up a little bit tonight -- I was ready to sub her out -- but she was good."

Bonner logged a season-high 29 minutes against the Valkyries on Monday. With Phoenix limited to an 8-woman rotation after injuries to a trio of key pieces in Kahleah Copper, Lexi Held, and Sabally, the extra minutes from the long-time WNBA vet came as a major benefit.

Indiana brought Bonner in with the hopes she would provide some much-needed veteran guidance. It's now looking like she could provide those services for the Mercury.

"Just a veteran presence that has seen anything, she's won championships, she's been in big games," Tibbetts lauded. "This group needed that piece."

After wins over Golden State and the Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix is 2-0 with Bonner in the lineup and 15-6 on the season, good for second in the WNBA.

Bonner has already helped the Mercury to a pair of championships in her 16-year career. At the rate they're playing, she might just have a chance to add a third.