Phoenix Mercury’s hopes to see their “Big Three” in the 2026 season have taken a major hit with Satou Sabally’s latest indication. The trio of Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Cooper, and Sabally formed the backbone of Mercury’s Championship run last season, but with Sabally’s latest update on free agency talks, the team has also seemed to move in a different direction.
According to reports from Front Office Sports reporter Annie Costabile, Sabally, an unrestricted free agent, is looking to move on from the Mercury after her lone one-year spell with the team. Additionally, the 27-year-old is also set to engage in negotiations with several teams in the remaining free agency window.
“Satou Sabally is not expected to re-sign with the Mercury, multiple sources tell me. Meetings with multiple teams are anticipated over the coming days when negotiations open up tomorrow,” Costabile’s X post read.
Satou Sabally is not expected to re-sign with the Mercury, multiple sources tell me. Meetings with multiple teams are anticipated over the coming days when negotiations open up tomorrow.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) April 8, 2026
As a result of Sabally’s eagerness to move on to a different team, the Phoenix Mercury hasn’t sent in a qualifying offer to Sabally. Natasha Mack, Monique Akoa Makani, Kathryn Westbeld, and Kiana Williams have received similar offers from the Mercury, courtesy of their reserved free agent status.
This suggests that the team is doing its bit to retain its core, which was instrumental in its immense success last season. But Sabally’s departure might be a major dent in this regard. When the three-time WNBA All-Star arrived in Phoenix on a one-year contract, there were great expectations for her, given the two 17+ points seasons she had with the Dallas Wings in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
“When you go into a place where there is a winning culture set, and I can identify with that, I’m able to be my fullest self and can work on myself without feeling weird about wanting so many hours in the gym. This is just expected,” Sabally said right after she joined the franchise.
As reality set in, Sabally did pretty well, per the expectations burdened upon her. The 27-year-old scored at an average of 16.3 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, and dished out 2.3 assists per game. Beyond that, Sabally also showcased great chemistry with Thomas and Cooper, which reflected in the team’s performance on the court.
With these top players firing on the court, the Mercury went from two first-round playoff defeats in the last three years to competing for the WNBA title in 2025. The season didn’t end well, as the Las Vegas Aces swept the finals. But the Mercury got a blueprint of how these three players can contribute to the franchise when they play together.
But with all three of these players being unrestricted free agents, negotiations were always going to be difficult for the Mercury. And with Satou Sabally’s decision, the equation just settled in that the Mortgage Matchup Center won’t be seeing their “Big Three” for the 2026 season.
How Does Satou Sabally’s Decision Affect Her and the Team?
Satou Sabally’s move brings an abundance of positives for her. Firstly, from a competitive perspective, it will give her an edge to compete in a different franchise and environment, where she can be the sole star, unlike Mercury, where she had to share the spotlight with Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Cooper. Moreover, being an unrestricted free agent, Sabally also has the leverage with this move to open herself to exclusive contracts and aim for that supermax salary.
Meanwhile, Sabally’s decision to leave, of course, puts Phoenix at the crossroads. Losing out on your last season’s scoring leader is never a pretty sight ahead of a season tip-off. Furthermore, with the other two members of the Big Three also in the gray zone, the situation is not quite ideal for Mercury. With an extended season cap, Mercury can bring in their veterans, Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Cooper, with supermax salary contracts.
But, as in Sabally’s case, it will all come down to those players’ individual decisions. The franchise also lost a couple of rookie guards in Lexi Held and Kitija Laksa. But head coach Nate Tibbetts already knew that such a situation was coming for the franchise in this hectic postseason after the new historic CBA agreement. “There’s a lot of stuff that’s gonna happen fast,” Tibbetts said.
“It’s going to put us in some uncomfortable situations, but I do feel like my experiences in the G-League help me prepare for this quick turnaround going into a season. I’m glad that I’ve got two years here to build culture and terminology and those types of things, and the hope is that you have some carryover.”
One positive for the Phoenix Mercury is that the team has plenty of options in free agency. Top players like Napheesa Collier and Kelsey Plum are options for the franchise to lean into. The free agency negotiations window is between April 8 and 10, with contract signings from April 11. It’s just a few days before we see which team Satou Sabally joins and how the Phoenix Mercury eventually reshapes their team.
