It was already known that DeWanna Bonner’s next destination after parting ways with the Phoenix Mercury would be the Atlanta Dream. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, who was among the first to report Bonner’s buyout with Phoenix, had previously revealed that the veteran had agreed to a prorated deal with Atlanta. Now, the Dream have made the move official.
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“2x WNBA champion. 6x WNBA All-Star. One of the most accomplished players in WNBA history. Welcome to the A, DeWanna 🅰️,” the Atlanta Dream officially announced on their X handle.
DeWanna Bonner’s arrival, however, has come with a significant roster shakeup. Around the same time the Dream shared their welcoming post, they also announced the departure of two players, Aaliyah Nye and Jalyn Sherrod.
This was something everyone knew was going to happen. When Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren announced that the buyout was agreed specifically to allow Bonner to pursue a championship with a team still in contention, it was clear that changes would be needed wherever she landed.
Firstly, Bonner’s new team would need a significant amount of cap space to fit her into the roster. Now, Atlanta had roughly $190,663 available, giving them enough room to make the move. Philippou later reported that Bonner had agreed to a prorated max deal worth around $116,000 with the Dream. But the problem for Atlanta was that they already had the league maximum of 12 players on standard contracts.
This meant that the Dream had to waive a player to make space for Bonner, but they ultimately ended up waiving two players in Aaliyah Nye and Jalyn Sherrod.
Nye’s departure comes just months after she joined the Dream. The 6-foot guard out of Alabama was originally selected in the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft and won a WNBA championship with the Las Vegas Aces during her rookie season before being claimed off waivers by Atlanta in May 2026.
Meanwhile, her teammate Jalyn Sherrod was riding with the Dream on a developmental contract. However, the Dream guard was on the last leg of her 12-game contract, having appeared in 11 games so far this season.
Unfortunately, with Bonner coming in, the Dream couldn’t convert Sherrod’s developmental contract into a standard one and had to let her go. That said, this might not be the end of Nye’s Atlanta career just yet.
Atlanta can still sign Nye to the newly vacant developmental contract once she clears waivers, allowing the Dream to retain her while making room for Bonner on the standard roster. But whether the Dream ultimately go that route remains unclear.
There will be questions surrounding this move because Bonner hasn’t had her best season since re-signing with the Mercury this offseason on a $500,000 deal.
The two-time WNBA champion averaged 10.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 39.4% from the field and 26.2% from three across 37 games. But there are reasons why this move makes perfect sense for both parties.
Why DeWanna Bonner and Atlanta Are a Perfect Match
There is no denying that adding a six-time All-Star and two-time champion strengthens this Atlanta Dream side considerably and gives them a better chance of making a deep postseason run.
With Brionna Jones suffering a left leg injury on August 13, the Dream suddenly found themselves short on scoring, rebounding, and, perhaps most importantly, veteran experience off the bench. Bonner solves that problem immediately.
She can still score, having averaged 14.3 points per game for her career while shooting 41.4% from the field. And for a team that’s averaging just 17.2 points per game from the bench, the six-time All-Star becomes a big addition to the Dream’s rotation.
And judging by Angel Reese’s reaction, the veteran’s arrival has already generated plenty of excitement inside the locker room.
“It’s been super exciting. I was really excited to have her here. She’s probably been trying to get here for a couple of years now, and finally (her) being here when I’m here is really cool,” Reese said in an interview with USA Today. She’s kinda been like a big sister to me while I’ve been in this league, always checking in.”
The Dream star also spoke in detail about Bonner’s championship-winning experience, which she hopes will help make the team even better.
“I think (she brings) the veteran leadership first. She’s a two-time champion. So, that also helps as well. Knowing what it takes to be a champion. Me, also, for my first time going into the playoffs, understanding what it’s gonna look like for me,” Reese continued. “But also just being able to see her versatility on the court. She’s played three, played the four, played the two. She can do it all. She also plays well defensively, too. So I just think (she) brings more size, more length, and I’m sure she’s excited to come here and be here, too.”
DeWanna Bonner has made more playoff appearances than the entire franchise of Atlanta Dream since its inception. Bonner has won TWO WNBA Championships in 15 appearances. On the other hand, the Dream have played 11 playoffs, reached the WNBA Finals THREE times and lost all three. Show more
It is interesting to note that Bonner has made more playoff appearances than the entire Atlanta Dream franchise since its inception. That kind of playoff experience is something you will always want to have on your side.
The Atlanta Dream currently sit fourth in the WNBA standings with a 25-13 record and six regular-season games still to play. Bonner will look to use those remaining games to build chemistry with her new teammates before the playoffs begin.
Although Bonner has been ruled out of the Dream’s next game against Portland, with “rest” listed as the reason by Underdog WNBA, fans will have to wait a little longer to see her in action.
But the real question is whether this carefully orchestrated move can give Bonner the championship run she came to Atlanta for. We’ll have that answer when the postseason arrives.