All hell broke loose in Indiana when Annie Costabile revealed that DeWanna Bonner did not want to suit up for the Fever anymore. She felt the fit wasn’t right. She wanted out after playing just 9 games for the franchise. A huge blow! No one saw this coming. What was originally labeled as “personal reasons” for her five-game absence since June 12 suddenly had a lot more weight. Retirement rumors were a constant, but this twist caught everyone off guard. One national analyst was extremely unhappy with the way everything was handled by Coach Stephanie White and the organization.
Coach Stephanie White was repeatedly asked about Bonner, and she would always have the same kind of reply. “Yeah, she’s doing well…Again, no timeline. I think it’s stay today and for us to make sure we’re continuing to be supportive of DB”. Her words never hinted at an impending exit. It always seemed like the 2 time WNBA champion would return once she had sorted things out. But that wasn’t the case, which further infuriated Rachel DeMita.
On her YouTube channel, Rachel DeMita called out the Indiana Fever for how they handled the DeWanna Bonner situation. She pointed out that the organization mishandled it, especially when it came to communication. According to her, there should have been more transparency to keep fans in the loop. But obviously, that wasn’t the case!
She said, “Every single practice there would have been questions about DeWanna Bonner, and I just don’t feel like going six games being away from the team with no explanation and having it be personal reasons. And then we find out it’s something like this. I think the whole thing, honestly, was mismanaged. I think it could have been handled a different way, and I think this is a tough blow for the team. Whether DeWanna was a good fit with the team or not, this is a tough blow.”
Bonner’s move from the Connecticut Sun to the Fever was one of the biggest moves of the offseason. She was supposed to be ‘that’ piece that would make the Fever a championship favorite. But after coming off an All-Star campaign last year, DB’s numbers took a noticeable dip. She averaged just 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. And that’s not all! The league’s third all-time leading scorer hit double figures just twice during her stint in Indiana.
She was demoted to the bench after just three games by coach Stephanie White. She was probably the biggest reason behind Bonner’s decision to join the Fever, given their previous two seasons together in Connecticut. But as time went on, it became clear the fit just wasn’t right. So, where does DB go from here? Well, the answer is pretty simple, actually!
Where will DeWanna Bonner go from here?
According to Annie Costabile, teams were reportedly advised not to claim DeWanna Bonner off waivers. It was because she already had a specific team in mind. And there’s no brownie points for guessing which team. It’s the Phoenix Mercury, of course! She wants to go back to playing with her fiancée, Alyssa Thomas!
Joining Phoenix could be a game-changer for Bonner. With Brittney Griner anchoring the paint and the Mercury riding an 11‑4 record and five‑game win streak, her scoring versatility would add offensive firepower. But as Front Office Sports points out, Phoenix’s roster is already tight—making room for Bonner would likely require cutting another player.
Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (25) celebrates her shot with forward DeWanna Bonner (24) during the first half against the Minnesota Lynx of game one of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Bonner, who signed a one-year, $200,000 unrestricted deal with the Fever, couldn’t be traded to any team due to her wages. This applies to the Phoenix Mercury as well. According to Her Hoop Stats, Phoenix only had around $88,000 in cap space. So, a trade was never realistic. But now that she’s been waived, Bonner is free to sign with any team for as little as the veteran minimum of roughly $78,000 once she clears waivers.
It’s clear where the future lies for DeWanna Bonner. But can she win a third championship alongside her soon-to-be wife? That’s the big question. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments down below!
The post Stephanie White and Indiana Fever Thrown Under the Bus Over DeWanna Bonner Exit in National Analyst’s 40-Second Take appeared first on EssentiallySports.
