Mercury trade Sug Sutton to Mystics, freeing up cap space

Sutton, the 12th overall pick by the Mystics in the 2020 WNBA Draft, is heading back to where she began her career. She played 12 games in the U.S. capital during the 2020 season, averaging 2.8 points, 0.7 assists and 0.7 rebounds per game.

After her first season in Washington D.C., the Mystics waived her before a two-year break away from the WNBA.

Ahead of the 2023 season, the Mercury signed her to a training camp deal. Cracking the opening night roster, Sutton went on to have a career year as she started in 12 of 40 games she played, notching 8.2 points, 4.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. She is the first and remains the only player in Mercury franchise history to record a triple-double, with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the Las Vegas Aces on Sept. 8, 2023.

On Feb. 27, 2024, Sutton re-signed with the Mercury to another training camp deal and made the roster again. This season, the Missouri native appeared in 22 games, averaging 2.9 points, 2.4 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game.

Sutton’s role has changed from becoming a starter last season with 26.3 minutes played per game to 14.3 this year when coming off the bench.

As for Lundquist, she is set to play for Spar Girona, a team in the Liga Femenina in Spain, during the 2024-25 season and is not on the Mercury’s updated roster after the deal.

In 2023-24, the 5-foot-8 Swedish guard was the SBL Dam MVP, Defender of the Year and Guard of the Year for Södertälje Basketbollklubb after averaging 20.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 30 games. Lundquist has not appeared in a WNBA game, but now Phoenix has the rights to sign her if she decides she wants to play in the league.

With the trade, this allows the Mercury to open up a roster spot for Billings once Rebecca Allen comes back from injury and they can afford to sign her for the rest of the season. Impressing in her debut for Phoenix, Billings scored 13 points, collected eight rebounds and dished out four assists against the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

Time will tell if Lundquist does become a Mercury, but the trade gives the team options as Sutton’s salary was $65,154 and Phoenix had just $18,573 left in cap space after signing Billings to a seven-day contract.