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WNBA Guard Sends Clear Message After Phoenix Mercury Move

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Robert Marvi | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 6:07 AM ET

The Phoenix Mercury have a solid 5-2 record right now, but they have been hit pretty hard by injuries.

Guard Kahleah Cooper and forwards Natasha Mack and Alyssa Thomas are currently out, and guard Lexi Held is dealing with a left quad ailment, even though she played on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Sparks.

But Phoenix is getting some help in the form of Haley Jones, who just signed with it on a "hardship" contract. This type of contract allows WNBA teams to field the required minimum number of available players on a short-term basis.

Jones talked to the media and said that the last couple of days were a "whirlwind" for her.

"It's been a whirlwind," Jones said. "I flew here yesterday afternoon a little bit after the team got in. I had some meetings and really got the call Friday that I was going to be here. ... It's pretty exciting."

EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix Mercury wing Haley Jones (@haleyjoness13) on the “whirlwind” the past couple days have been, and how she’ll contribute to the Mercury offensively and defensively.#WNBA pic.twitter.com/iHH88EXyeN
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) June 1, 2025

Jones, a 6-foot-1 guard, spent four years at Stanford, where she averaged 13.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals a game. As a sophomore in 2021, she played a key role in Stanford winning the women's NCAA championship, and she was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

She was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream, and in two seasons with them, she averaged 3.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 16.2 minutes a game and only shot 36.5% from the field.

She was waived in mid-May by the Dream, paving the way for her to head to Phoenix.

Despite their competitive record, the Mercury are badly in need of some offensive punch, as they rank just ninth in points per game and offensive rating.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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