The Phoenix Mercury begin the process of building for the future, factoring in Kelsey Plum's decision as this offseason approaches.
What if the five-time All-Star Plum doesn't sign an extension to stay in Phoenix? If so, is it time for a rebuild through the draft, as the Mercury did with their Diana Taurasi selection out of UConn in 2004?
Taurasi, who urged Plum during her Mercury Ring of Honor ceremony speech at Mortgage Matchup Center on Aug. 15 to "sign the extension," might have the answers already.
“The way the league is set up now with the CBA (collective bargaining agreement), free agency, you’re never as far as you think and you’re never as close as you think," Taurasi told The Arizona Republic at the Jerry Colangelo Golf Classic in Phoenix
on Sept. 18.
The 2028 draft class is stacked with future stars. That includes Sarah Strong, UConn's reigning National Player of the Year; South Carolina's Joyce Edwards; Texas' Madison Booker; and USC's Jazzy Davidson and Juju Watkins.
Booker and Watkins are seniors this upcoming season, but they could be part of the 2028 class if they decide to become fifth-year seniors.
“When you talk about the Jujus and Sarah Strongs and the Madi Bookers, any team that gets them, they’re set for the next five to seven years," Taurasi said.
Getting a high WNBA lottery pick, or a No. 1 pick, comes from a two-year composite of a non-playoff team's worst records in back-to-back seasons. Four of the 2026 playoff contenders, including Indiana, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, rebuilt via the draft to get All-Stars Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.
The Mercury have a long history of remaining competitive without resorting to a full rebuild.
Taurasi, who led the Mercury to all three of their titles (2007, 2009, 2014), Lindsey Harding (traded to Minnesota on draft night for then-veteran Tangela Smith in 2007) and Brittney Griner in 2013 were two of their three No. 1 overall picks. Since 2009, when the Mercury drafted six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, they've had just four top-10 picks.
After having the 2023 season's worst record with nine wins, the Mercury traded their No. 3 overall pick in 2024 to Chicago for All-Star Kahleah Copper, then traded for veteran stars Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally in 2025.
"Eight, nine months ago we were playing in the WNBA Finals," Taurasi said. "So we’re close, obviously, when you have talent like AT (Thomas), Kah (Copper) and hopefully with Plum extending, which would be the plan. I mean, that’s three of the top 10 players in the league.
"So we’re really close, and then it’s just putting pieces around them and making sure everyone’s on the same page, because at the end of the day, you’ll never have the opportunity to put two seasons together to be that bad, hopefully. I don’t think we’re in the business of doing that.”
The Mercury made a high-risk trade with the Sparks for Plum on Aug. 1. Plum, 32, was acquired in exchange for the Mercury's former starting guard Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
But after just a few weeks in Phoenix, Plum was shut down on Aug. 31 for the rest of the season with a lower-leg injury, sidelining her for all but 17 games this year.
“People forget, basketball’s a lot of luck, too," Taurasi said. "When it comes to injuries, you might want a certain outcome and you never know the factors that might change the outcome."
After Sabally left Phoenix to join the New York Liberty as a free agent last year, the Mercury hoped to lean on Plum, Copper and Thomas. But that trio played just five games together.
Mercury general manager Nick U'Ren and team owner Mat Ishbia, who's called tanking a "ridiculous" strategy and "loser behavior," were comfortable acquiring Plum.
After Ishbia's $100 million investment in the team's practice facility in 2024, tanking doesn't seem like an option.
“I would think those are not in the plans," Taurasi said "I think we’re going to go into the offseason trying to put the best roster together to try win a championship, because you never know what could happen if you have the right group together.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diana Taurasi talks tanking, reloading options for '27 Mercury | Exclusive
