The planet Mercury has been in retrograde for the entire season. That has been the theme of the NBA season in the past. After getting hammered by a record 23 3-pointers in a loss to Las Vegas, the Phoenix Mercury had to be relieved. The basketball gods decided to guillotine Phoenix after the season because of that record-breaking performance.
The Mercury have commanded our attention because they have been a NASCAR pileup. The Mercury became one of the worst teams in the 25 seasons of the league. Their implosion was unexpected.
The degradation of Phoenix's season began with Russia's detainment ofBrittney Griner. The national attention weighed on the Mercury more than the front court.
The Mercury had a disadvantage because of Griner's new role as a cause célbre. They were told to keep things low. They were told to become the most vocal advocates. If Kobe Bryant's sexual assault trial were happening in a hostile nation, the Mercury would be the Lakers. You have a recipe for a season of anxiety if you combine the heavy-handed punishment hovering over Griner's head as she awaits trial for a victimless crime compared to the serious accusations Kobe faced.
Tina Charles was waiting in the wings as Phoenix's backstop prior to Griner's Arrest. Charles' resume was similar to that of Karl Malone. Charles should have given the Mercury a twin tower combo that would overwhelm defenses since he scored after the game. The plan was thrown off when the Mercury started the season poorly.
Charles' offense wasn't what theMercury needed. The Mercury needed a defender who could keep offenses honest. Charles was already a downgrade in the paint, but she drew the ire of her teammates because she took plays off. Charles had the worst defensive win share of her career and her defensive rating was the second-worst in the league.
The contract divorce of Charles was a boon for Seattle, but it wasn't the only one. Even the once reliable Skylar Diggins-Smith didn't give stability. Despite being exiled from the Mercury at the end of the season, she was honored with a sixth All- Star selection. She had her contract suspended by the Mercury even as they fought tooth and nail to get the final playoff seed. Unless the tension cools in the off-season, Diggins- Smith will be shipped out. We don't know what the Mercury will look like next season or if Griner will return to the U.S.
Diana Taurasi was named the greatest player of all time, but most of the year was boring. A quad injury ended her season early, while a torn ACL ended her season. Shey Peddy was injured in the first game of the series and was placed on the infirmary list.
The sentence of nine years for drug possession and smuggler was a crushing blow to the community. However, Peddy rolling around in pain showing the unmistakable signs of suffering every basketball player's worst injury left teammates on the bench in tears and was the nadir of the season. The Mercury campaign was an unmitigated disaster without her presence.
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