let's be real: this was a bad season, and no amount of fan energy can dress it up as anything else. The Mercury had a crowd that showed up, a fan base that still cared, and a team that still has real pieces. But the record told the truth. The playoffs were missed. The finish was ugly. And the work starts now.

In 2025, Phoenix got all the way to the WNBA Finals before losing to the Las Vegas Aces 4-0 in a best-of-seven series. That’s the kind of run that raises expectations and changes the temperature around a franchise. So what happened next — a 2026 season that ended 16-28 after a 100-82 loss to the Aces — hits even harder, because how do you go from championship contention to finishing 10th and missing the playoffs completely without calling it a step backward?

The early stretch said plenty. Phoenix opened 2-8, and that included a six-game losing streak. Then came a brief two-game win streak, followed by four straight losses. That pattern kept showing up all season. Streaks were the story. Stability was not. And when a team keeps living in those swings, what exactly are you supposed to call it besides a down year?

Nate Tibbetts said the first thing is to look at the number, break down the areas where the team struggled, and rewatch the games to get a feel for how it looked. That’s the right instinct. Nick U’Ren was even more direct. He called the season disappointing and said, flat out, that the fans deserve better. He also said the work starts immediately. Good. It should.

There were roster changes along the way, too. Jovana Nogic and DeWanna Bonner were among the players the team lost, and Bonner was moved so she could chase a ring with the Atlanta Dream. Then Phoenix made a blockbuster move at the trade deadline and brought in Kelsey Plum from the Los Angeles Sparks. That’s not a team standing still. That’s a team trying to force a different ending. But if the ending still lands at 16-28, what does that tell you about the margin for error and the size of the rebuild ahead?

Alyssa Thomas said she hasn’t felt this way in a long time and doesn’t want to feel it again. That’s the right tone. The Mercury have to treat this like a wake-up call, not a shrug. The fans already did their part. Now the franchise has to answer back.

— Stephen A. Spliff