Phoenix Mercury 2024 opening night roster announced

The Phoenix Mercury's regular season roster has been finalized.

The 11-player opening day roster was announced on Monday, before Phoenix's first game at the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces at 7 p.m., on Tuesday. WNBA teams can have a minimum of 11 players or a maximum of 12.

Phoenix revealed that there were seven players, mostly rookies, waived from the 18-person preseason roster on Saturday. That includes center Bella Murekatete, forward Mya Hollingshed, and guards Amy Atwell, Air Hearn, Charisma Osborne, Jaz Shelley and Christyn Williams. Atwell is in a second pro year out of Hawaii. Osborne and Shelley were the Mercury's third-round picks from UCLA and Nebraska, respectively, in April. In addition, rookie center Desi-Rae Young was cut from the team after the first week of training camp.

The Mercury brought back center Liz Dixon the final day of training camp. She averaged 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds through 10 games for the team last season.

There was a complete roster makeover after the team had a last-place finish in the WNBA in 2023.

The top players who joined Phoenix during the offseason were veteran guards Kahleah Copper, Natasha Cloud, and Rebecca Allen. Copper came from Chicago in a trade package that included Phoenix's third overall pick in February. Cloud, a two-time All-Defensive Team point guard and 2022 season assists leader, left Washington to sign with Phoenix in free agency. Allen was dealt from Connecticut to Phoenix in a trade for Moriah Jefferson.

Phoenix's only other returnees besides Dixon are its core three of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Sophie Cunningham, along with Sug Sutton.

In addition to the team's finalized regular season roster, the Mercury announced on Monday that Griner will miss significant time from a left foot toe fracture. She will be re-evaluated in a few weeks.

Here is the full roster and player positions: Rebecca Allen, F-G; Morgan Bertsch, F; Natasha Cloud, G; Kahleah Copper, G-F; Sophie Cunningham, G; Liz Dixon, F-C; Brittney Griner, C; Mikiah Herber Harrigan, F; Natasha Mack, F; Seg Sutton, G; Diana Taurasi, G.