Everyone expected the Liberty and Lynx to be up there—no surprises. But after them, didn’t we all kind of assume it’d be teams like the Wings, Fever, or Sky running the show? And fairly so, because they are loaded with vets, All-Stars, and top picks. On paper, they are built to dominate. But what about the third team in the standings?

Yes, the Phoenix Mercury were not written off in any season primer—mainly because of Nate Tibbetts’ version of the “Big 3.” Think Suns with Booker, KD, and Beal, but swap them for Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, and Satou Sabally. But here’s the thing, the Big 3 has not actually made its big debut yet, with Copper missing. And then others have been in and out of the lineup as well. Red flag that was going to translate, you reckon? Well, the Mercury are still holding their ground, leaning on under-the-radar role players and making it work better than most.

And their efforts didn’t go unappreciated after tonight’s victory over the tough LA squad. The Mercury looked rough early. They were trailing by as many as 18 points. But then they just… flipped a switch. The second half was a completely different game. They managed to outscore LA 48–30 and turned it all around. Satou Sabally improved from 3-for-13 in the first half to 4-for-6 in the second half, scoring 13 of her 24 points. Kitija Laksa and Kathryn Westbeld both dropped 15. And role players like Sami Whitcomb and Monique Akoa Makani came up clutch with big buckets.

Alexa Philippou, hence, did not shy away from crediting the team with a thin roster, which, anyway, had no returning players besides Copper. She wrote on X, “The Phoenix Mercury are undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of the young WNBA season.” And it’s hard to disagree because they’ve now won five of their first seven games. She added, “No Kahleah Copper or Natasha Mack with an already top-heavy roster. No Alyssa Thomas these past two games.” 

How did they do it? Well, Copper, who has been watching from the sidelines, has the perfect answer. It’s “NATE THE GREAT.” for her. And true enough, ever since he took the reins in October 2023, the Mercury has only been evolving to move upward. He even became the highest-paid WNBA coach in history after serving as an assistant coach in the NBA for 13 seasons. So for now, the Phoenix die-hards can enjoy the ride because Nate Tibbetts seems to be pulling all the right strings.

He probably always has the best mix of encouragement and constructive criticism. Just consider the challenge he had laid out for Sabally before this game. While Sabally had a noteworthy season debut, she couldn’t keep the same play going forward. Hence, Nate made it clear that consistency is what makes a team championship contender. “She has the ability to be a special player. She can’t be average, she’s way better than that. I thought in the 3rd, she kind of came out and wasn’t ready to play. That was disappointing, but after that, she really stepped up,” he said.

Sabally took the challenge head-on, feeling grateful. “I would really say this is the first time that I’ve really been coached and pushed to my limits in every single position,” she said via Desert Wave Media Co. “I’m really grateful for that and that I’m being put in those position.” And well, she did rise and made it out of the slump. So, fair to say, whatever Nate is doing is working.

Now, he has another piece in the lineup that’d be up for the test.

Mercury’s latest pick to compensate for Kahleah Copper’s absence

Big move for the Mercury. They just locked in Haley Jones in a hardship deal. It gave them some much-needed depth with all these injuries piling up. The timing was clutch, she signed just hours before tipping off against the Sparks. And even in her four-minute debut, she made it count with a tough drive for her first bucket. Jones isn’t some random pickup, either. She was the No. 6 pick in 2023 by Atlanta and played every game last season. But she got cut this preseason before balling out in Australia.

Now she’s back in the WNBA, and Phoenix is getting her at the perfect time. With Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas both sidelined, the Mercury are scrambling to fill the gaps. And that kind of production doesn’t just get replaced overnight. Jones might not be a one-to-one swap, but her size, playmaking, and versatility do give Phoenix something to work with while they weather the storm.

Now, don’t expect her to play 30 minutes a night, but Jones brings more than just a warm body. She’s a Stanford product, a national champ and All-American, so her IQ can definitely help steady the second unit. Until Kahleah Copper is back, the Mercury are gonna need everyone to chip in, and Jones is exactly the kind of adaptable player who can keep them afloat in the meantime.