DeWanna Bonner is now an Atlanta Dream, arriving with the goal of fulfilling one, final championship dream.
On Aug. 24, Bonner and the Phoenix Mercury amicably agreed to a contract buyout, with the organization announcing through a statement from general manager Nick U’Ren:
DeWanna has been an important part of our team and brought tremendous leadership, experience and competitiveness to the Mercury. Because of the relationship we have with DeWanna, we worked out a buyout agreement that gives her the opportunity
to chase a title in what could be her final postseason.
After making the decision with the Mercury, Bonner herself said:
At this stage of my career, I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m grateful to the Mercury for giving me the opportunity to play in what could be one of my final postseason opportunities.
Eh, I’d say DeWanna had a pretty good idea about her immediate future, as she would not have sought the buyout if she did not already have a strong inkling about her next destination.
Per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty also expressed interest in Bonner, while the Dream’s pursuit of the Fairfield, AL native and former Auburn star reportedly went back years.
So, will DeWanna achieve her Dream of going out with a third WNBA championship?
On the court, the theoretical value that Bonner can add to the Dream is obvious. She’s a three-time Sixth Player of the Year who bolsters a rather weak and inexperienced Atlanta bench. Her willingness to fire away from behind the arc certainly fits the philosophy of head coach Karl Smesko, and her length will allow her to function within Atlanta’s elite defense.
But, there’s a reason that value is theoretical.
The 39-year-old Bonner is the second-oldest player in the league. And while she is a six-time All-Star who has scored the third-most points in WNBA history, her 10.2 points per game is the second-lowest average of her career, with her field goal percentage of 39 percent standing as the lowest mark of her career. From 3, she’s converting just 25.6 percent of her 4.5 attempts per game, her worst percentage from deep since 2020.
But, maybe Bonner will stumble into a timely hot streak and her shots will begin to fall? For that to happen, she probably needs to play, and it’s unclear how much time she’ll receive.
A huge reason Atlanta’s bench has underperformed is because Smesko rides his starters. Considering Atlanta’s starting five of Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon and Angel Reese has the best net rating in the league, Smesko is probably smart to allocate as many minutes as possible to that fivesome. According to databallr’s adjusted net rating, Atlanta’s five has a +12.9 net rating, which is three points clear the net rating of the Minnesota Lynx’s starting group.
And Smesko certainly pushes his favored five. Howard leads the league in minutes per game at 34.4, with Gray ranking ninth at 32.9. All five starters are in the top 30 in total minutes. In the postseason, expect Smesko to extend the minutes of his starters, as it is customary for a team’s best players to receive rare rest in the playoffs.
So, it’s hard to see Bonner getting more than 10 or 12 minutes per game, especially if she continues to shoot so inefficiently. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is limited to a two-minute cameo here or there in tightly-contested games.
All that paints a pretty pesimisstic picture of Bonner’s impact in Atlanta. But, her addition is not all for naught, as she can have a significant off-the-court influence.
As I’ve emphasized since Atlanta traded for her, Angel has injected the Dream with a needed intensity and urgency. In just her first season with a team, she’s emerged as a leader. But, she’s also a third-year player who has never played a playoff game.
Bonner, who also plays with her own visible brand of passion and pulse that can complement that of Reese, not only has two titles, but also has 98 playoff games and 3,016 playoff minutes on her resume.
She plays with a fire, and she’s been through fires. Imparting all the knowledge gained from those infernos can benefit a Dream squad that, last postseason, crumbled in the first-round playoff crucible against a lower-seeded team.
Bonner has two daughters. In joining the Dream, she might have acquired 11 more. Being a stern-yet-sensitive mom who shares wisdom, rather than the former Sixth Player of the Year who bombs triples, might be Bonner’s primary role for this team.
In speaking to USA TODAY about Bonner joining the Dream, Reese called her “a big sister,” while also emphasizing that DB will offer “veteran leadership” from “knowing what it takes to be a champion.”
Unfortunately for us eager fans, Friday night will not offer a first opportunity to see Bonner in Dream threads, as she is expected to be in attendance but not yet make her debut when Atlanta hosts the Portland Fire (7:30 p.m. ET, ION).
Brionna Jones, a former teammate of Bonner with the Connecticut Sun for five seasons, also remains sidelined, with little clarity about the status of her injured left leg.
In the comments, let us know what you think Bonner will bring to the Dream? How do you see her benefitting the team on the court and off the court? Do you have any concerns? And, do you think her final championship Dream will come true in Atlanta?
