With Big Three entering free agency, what’s next for the Connecticut Sun?

The three stars have been the foundation of the team since Bonner was traded from the Phoenix Mercury to the Sun in 2020, but the Sun haven’t able to get over the hump and win a championship. Here is how the Sun have done each season since Bonner arrived:

Beyond the Big Three, the Sun also have several other players entering free agency. In fact, the only players currently under contract for 2025 are guards Marina Mabrey and Tyasha Harris and center Olivia Nelson-Ododa.

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The impending free agents

The Sun held exit interviews on Thursday following their loss in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals on Tuesday. Based on their comments, it seems unlikely that all three players will return to the Sun in 2025.

Bonner was asked what her approach would be in free agency.

“Free agency is not for a couple months. So for me personally, I’m going to enjoy my kids. That’s what I do in the offseason,” Bonner told reporters. “But I’m going to take probably two or three weeks off, and I’m gonna get back to working out and training every day. …

“When free agency comes, I’m gonna take my time and make the right choice for me and my family and go from there. But just thinking about my kids and finding a place to work out, that’s about it.”

Thomas, Bonner’s fiancée, was still upset with the outcome of the season and wasn’t focused on free agency. 

“Honestly, [I’m] not even thinking about it,” she told reporters. “The season just ended, and [I’m] still packing up and gonna enjoy my time off. I’m not going overseas right away. So I’m just looking forward to not having to think about basketball right now.”

Since both Thomas and Bonner are free agents, there have been questions about whether they want to sign with the same team. In the past, they both have said that their relationship is separate from their careers and that being on the same team is not a necessity.

Jones smiled when asked about free agency during her exit interview. She knew that she would have to face the question at some point.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time right now,” Jones told reporters. “I’ve got to go overseas and I’m playing in Prague, so I still have a little basketball ahead of me until [free agency]. But I’m considering everything. I’ve loved every moment here, but we’ll see how it goes.”

It is also unknown whether head coach Stephanie White plans to return next season. Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Wednesday that White “isn’t expected to return,” but there has been no official announcement. White is also yet to have her exit interview, which is expected to take place soon.

However, it’s likely that starting guard/forward DiJonai Carrington, a restricted free agent, will return next season.

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Considerations in free agency

As the WNBA continues to grow after a record-breaking year for viewership and attention, players have expectations of changes that need to be made across the league.

Players value practice and training facilities now more than ever with increasing options to opt out of overseas play, which was once needed to survive financially. With new domestic leagues such as Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited emerging, players can stay in the United States to play and train in the offseason.

Players understand the importance of having these resources at their disposal for a franchise to have continued success. And Thomas has been outspoken, especially this season, about the Sun’s lack of resources.

“I think here in Connecticut, we’ve been behind in a lot of things,” Thomas said. “Times are changing. You see more and more [teams] having practice facilities or renovating their practice facilities. And not as many people are going overseas anymore, and that’s a huge factor in free agency. …

“Connecticut is not a city that a lot of people want to come into, especially in the winter. Connecticut winters aren’t for everybody. We gotta play catch-up, and we’ve been playing catch-up for a while. And if we don’t get it together, it just makes it that much harder to get players in here.”

Bonner talked about the importance of facilities for veteran players but also recognized that Connecticut has found ways to succeed without the resources that other organizations have.

“Especially when you get older and your body is a little bit more worn down, of course that’s important,” Bonner said. “I’m pretty sure the Sun in the future will talk about that, and hopefully we can get that here. But at the same time, it’s just not something that is needed to play good basketball, clearly, because that’s what we did.

“Of course, we didn’t win the championship and things like that. And of course, it helps you get over the hump, and you can stay in market a lot and train and you can work on your game, because a lot of people don’t want to go overseas anymore, and that’s including myself. … But I still feel like we played great basketball, and I feel like we still proved that we can do things the traditional way. But of course, basketball is changing and a practice facility is needed, so it kind of goes both ways, and I hope to see that happen in the future here.”

The Sun may struggle to rebuild, if they choose to go that route rather than bring back everybody, and building a practice facility would definitely help attract players.

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The Sun’s impact on Thomas

Thomas has been with the Sun for her entire career. She was asked about the impact the organization has had on her.

“They gave me a chance,” she said. “Not too many people get a chance in a league like this, and they drafted me way back when, back in 2014, and have believed in me throughout my career. So that’s huge. You don’t really see that, for people to last this long in the league, especially on one team. So [I’m] extremely grateful for that.”

Bonner’s impact on the team

Bonner has had a huge impact on the younger Sun players, and they spoke highly of her during their exit interviews. Carrington said that although people refer to Bonner as being like a mother figure to her, their relationship is more similar to sisters.

“From my rookie year here, I’ve always leaned on her and soaked in everything that she’s said to me, whether it’s on the court or off the court,” Carrington told reporters. “Just the knowledge that she has in life as a woman, as a Black woman, as a mother, just navigating through being a professional for all these years, she’s just super wise, and she’s a winner on the court. When winners talk to you, when someone is talking to you who’s achieved some of the things that you want to achieve, you always listen.”

Throughout the season, Carrington has been battling racial discrimination from fans, and she revealed on Thursday that her grandfather has been in and out of the hospital as well. 

“Throughout everything that has gone on this season, [Bonner has] always been someone who’s made sure, when my phone’s always on do not disturb … she always presses ‘Notify anyway,'” Carrington said, “because she’s gonna get her message through to me and make sure that I’m good and make sure that I’m straight. So I have so much love and appreciation for her, and our relationship is definitely going to be lifelong.”

Related reading: The legacy of DeWanna Bonner

Mabrey shared that the first points ever scored on her in the WNBA were from Bonner on an up-and-under move.

“DB has been a supporter of mine for years,” Mabrey told reporters. “After all the games where we played against each other, she’d always say, ‘You’re one of my favorite players.’ And obviously, that’s crazy to hear when you’ve been watching her since Auburn, since Phoenix. … I see what she did to win and all the plays she used to make and how she led her teammates through grace.

“And it’s really hard to do when you have all that experience and you don’t make many mistakes out there, and you’re trying to bring younger players along who do make a ton of mistakes, like myself, and she does it with grace. She’s very soft and gentle, but also to the point.”

Bonner has enjoyed becoming a leader for the Sun after learning from veteran guard Diana Taurasi during her time with the Mercury.

“I’m sad that I didn’t get to lead [this group] to a championship,” Bonner said. “That was kind of my goal as a leader, to lead a young group to a championship. So I’m sad about that, but I don’t plan to retire this year, so I’m gonna come back and try to accomplish that goal. But I’m glad that I was a positive influence or an impact on all of them, because my one goal is to make everybody comfortable.”

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What’s next for Connecticut?

There are a lot of uncertainties in the air, and the Sun front office has a lot of work to do when free agency opens in January. Do the Sun blow up their roster and start fresh, or reload and try again in 2025? That remains to be seen.

“It was a lot of fun on and off the court with this group,” Thomas said. “For me, it’s about winning. I don’t really care about the moments or the accolades or anything like that. It’s just about trying to get it done and unfortunately, again, we did not get it done. So [there are] just a lot of memories with this group. I had a lot of fun with my teammates on and off the court. And [I’m] definitely gonna miss those moments.”