Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi say they want to return to Mercury in 2024

The Phoenix Mercury had a poor 2023 season. With a 9-31 record, the team finished worst in the WNBA and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

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But it doesn't mean the team's two greatest stars are ready to split up. Both Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and center Brittney Griner have expressed a desire to return to Phoenix in 2024.

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In 2023, the pair completed their tenth season together. Taurasi agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Mercury for her 19th season,

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while Griner returned to the WNBA this year after being arrested in Russia for 10 months and missing the entire 2022 season.

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But nothing went well for Phoenix this year. After a 2-10 start, the Mercury sacked head coach Vanessa Nygaard and completed the season with 11 straight losses.

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Taurasi missed 14 games due to injuries, yet she still managed to average 16 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game.

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She was also the first WNBA player to reach 10,000 career points. Griner also had a terrific statistical season, averaging a team-high 17.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

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Nobody else scored more than 12 points each game. The only other Mercury players to average more than 10 points per game were guards Sophie Cunningham and Moriah Jefferson.

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Despite the team's terrible season, Griner expressed optimism about her future. What is the Mercury's next move? As Taurasi mentioned earlier,

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the expectation is that new general manager Nick U'Ren, who was hired from the front office of the Golden State Warriors in July, can rebuild a team that has made the playoffs for the past ten seasons.

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