As much as it is the Aces’ day, you have to feel for the Phoenix Mercury. As underdogs throughout the playoffs, they still managed to reach the finals with 2 close games. But after the devastatingly close loss in Game 3, the Phoenix Mercury’s season was hanging on by a thread. Winning Game 4 to keep the series going was always going to be a tough task, but even tougher with Satou Sabally injured. And come Game 4, the Phoenix Mercury showed their desperation, and the game started intensely. However, this game also followed a script that has been all too common this year: one team feeling hard done by the referees.

At one point, Mercury’s Kahleah Copper even called them out. But like the veteran she is, her focus shifted from calling out the refs to some introspection. In her post-game media availability, Kahleah Copper explained her reason for not talking to the referees. When asked by a reporter about the team’s turnovers, Kahleah took accountability and said:

“There you go. Right there. That’s why I didn’t speak to it. I didn’t speak to the officiating. I said, and AT (Alyssa Thomas) said it too, like, that’s not what the wins and the losses are about. You know, one thing about us, we’re going to hold ourselves accountable. So, I didn’t speak to the officiating.” During her answer, she was referring to the fact that the Las Vegas Aces forced 18 turnovers and scored 26 points off of them! Even though she was during the presser, the same wasn’t the case during the game.

When the team was heading to the locker room during half-time, Kahleah Copper said, “I think the refs aren’t doing a good job tonight – I’m sorry. We just gotta keep our heads and tried to chip away.” Even though her statement could have made sense, she chose to put the focus on the things they could control rather than the fouls. During Game 4, the Las Vegas Aces outscored the Phoenix Mercury 29-17 in free throws and 35-19 in attempts.

This led to some late-game tense moments as Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected late in the third quarter. The Mercury were trailing by 17 by then, but they made a late surge and made it a two-possession game. However, their adrenaline could only take them so far as the Aces comfortably handled them and won their third championship in four years. Although the season ended in disappointment, the Phoenix Mercury did shock many after reaching as far as they did.

Sure, many might point to Napheesa Collier’s injury as the reason why they’re here, but let’s not forget, the Mercury were already leading. And they had knocked out the defending champions New York Liberty out in the first round. Now, their focus should be to rest, recover, and then bring back as much of the roster as they can, besides answering one big question.

Will the Phoenix Mercury re-sign Kahleah Copper?

Just like the rest of the league, the Phoenix Mercury are in a tricky situation regarding their roster for the 2026 WNBA season. As things stand, they have just one player (Kalani Brown) signed on for the next season. With the uncertain landscape of the CBA, there is a big question whether the Mercury will be able to bring back the core of their roster. In all fairness, it seems like Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas have a great chance of coming back.

After the entire saga in the 2025 season, it is also easy to assume that DeWanna Bonner will also be back next year. However, there is some doubt about Kahleah Copper. It may seem strange to question a WNBA champion and Finals MVP, but here’s the reason. This season, Kahleah’s numbers dropped massively from 21.1 points per game to 15.6 points per game. That, combined with the fact that there is no certainty about the salary cap for the coming year, makes her situation an interesting one.

Although publicly, Kahleah has hinted at coming back. After losing the finals, she said, “I wanted us to feel it. I wanted us to hear the celebrations. I wanted us to really feel that moment, feel the hurt and,…let it just fuel us for the future.” This statement does hint at her desire to come back. But it all depends on whether the two parties can strike a deal that satisfies both. When will that happen? Only time will tell.