The Indiana Fever have waived DeWanna Bonner.
Multiple sources told Front Office Sports that the two-time WNBA champion had no intentions of returning to the team after playing just nine games, forcing the Fever’s hand. The reason for her desired departure was characterized by those same sources as the fit being “off” from the beginning.
After failing to find a successful trade option, the Fever made the decision Wednesday to cut Bonner, whom they signed to a one-year unprotected contract just four months ago.
Bonner had been away from the Fever since the second week of June, with the team citing “personal reasons.” As recently as Saturday, Indiana coach Stephanie White said Bonner was “doing well.” White added she believed Bonner was “day-to-day” and that the Fever were being supportive in her time away.
Ahead of the Fever’s 94–86 win over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, White’s tune changed.
“I haven’t had a lot of conversations with her recently,” White said. “Really been focused on the team we have right here and what we need to do to position ourselves to win.”
Midseason trades are not a common practice in the WNBA because of the league’s hard salary cap. One of the strongest examples of a player forcing a midseason trade is Sylvia Fowles opting to sit out the first half of the 2015 season before the Chicago Sky traded her to the Minnesota Lynx.
The Fever situation is very different because of the timeline. Fowles was drafted by the Sky with the second overall pick in 2008 and played seven seasons with the franchise before requesting a trade. Bonner’s signing with Indiana was touted as one of the most significant of the offseason. As a WNBA champion twice over, she was expected to be the linchpin in the Fever’s efforts to return to title contention alongside 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark. Instead, she’ll hit the waiver wire.
From here, teams will have 48 hours to pick up Bonner off waivers. In this case, the team that claims Bonner would need to have the full $200,000 in cap space to absorb her contract. The Fever’s cap space will take a hit only for the time she was on the roster, which amounted to about five-and-a-half weeks of the season.
The Golden State Valkyries and Washington Mystics both have enough cap space to claim Bonner off waivers. However, multiple sources told FOS that teams are being advised not to pick her up because Bonner’s preference would be to sign with the Phoenix Mercury. Bonner is engaged to Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas. The pair spent five seasons together in Connecticut, helping lead the Sun to five straight semifinals appearances. In 2022 the Sun lost to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Finals.
If Bonner clears waivers she would become an unrestricted free agent, meaning she is free to sign with any team. The Mercury have $88,103 in cap space, meaning they could sign Bonner for the veteran minimum of $78,831 without having to clear any cap space. Phoenix would need to cut one player to stay under the WNBA’s league-mandated 12-player roster maximum. Sources have indicated that the Mercury signing Bonner is not set in stone, given the potential it has to disrupt a strong dynamic developing among Phoenix’s core.
The Fever announced on Wednesday the re-signing of guard Aari McDonald to a rest-of-season contract at the veteran minimum.
Bonner started three games for the Fever before being moved to a reserve role. In nine games she averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. She had 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in her final game for the Fever on June 10 against the Atlanta Dream. According to multiple sources, part of Bonner’s discontent was based on her expectations she’d be a starter.
“I felt the fit did not work out and I appreciate the organization’s willingness to grant my request to move on, particularly at this point in my career,” Bonner said in a team release.
This developing news story has been updated.
