Biggest headlines from WNBA trade deadline
Callie Fin breaks down the biggest headlines that came out of the WNBA trade deadline, including Kelsey Plum going to Phoenix Mercury.
Sports Seriously
Marta Suarez, who was traded on the evening of the 2026 WNBA Draft, is signing a contract to play the rest of the season with the Phoenix Mercury, the team announced on Monday, Aug. 3.
The Mercury forward’s rookie season has been interesting to say the least.
The TCU product was selected 16th overall by the Seattle Storm during the WNBA draft in April. However, on draft night, Golden State traded its eighth overall pick, Flau’jae Johnson, to the Storm for the draft rights to Suarez and a 2028 second-round pick.
Golden State general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said the club agreed to trade picks with Seattle ahead of the draft. Still, she mostly sidestepped questions on draft night about trading Johnson and acquiring Suarez.
“I’m going to take a beat to be able to eloquently give a response. I don’t have a lot of details to share.” Nyanin said at the time. “One, because I’m exhausted. Two, because I want to be very thoughtful when I’m talking about other humans and their basketball abilities and how they would or would not show up for our squad.”
On May 2, the Golden State Valkyries waived Suarez. The Mercury signed her to a developmental contract on May 6. She spent more than a month with the organization before being released on July 9. Suarez has signed three seven-day contracts with the organization since, the last of which expired on Aug. 2.
Suarez has played in 11 games for the Mercury, averaging 4.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in 9.5 minutes of play per contest.
Suarez started her college career at Tennessee before transferring to Cal and then TCU. The Horned Frogs reached the Elite Eight last season.