Mercury sign Jennie Simms, Emma Cannon to replacement contracts
May 6, 2022, 11:18 AM | Updated: 11:34 am
Washington Mystics center Krystal Thomas (34) blocks for guard Jennie Simms (25) during a WNBA game between the Washington Mystics and the Seattle Storm on June 27, 2017, at the Verizon Center, in Washington DC. The Mystics defeated the Storm 100-70. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Phoenix Mercury signed guard Jennie Simms and forward Emma Cannon to replacement contracts, the team announced Friday.
While Phoenix waits for the return of Brianna Turner and Diamond DeShields from their playing commitments in Italy, the Mercury re-signed the pair for the team’s season opener matchup against the Las Vegas Aces.
Turner and DeShields are “temporarily suspended” until they can re-join the Mercury.
Cannon and Simms had been waived on Tuesday after going through training camp with the Mercury.
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Simms joins the Mercury after an overseas season in Israel where she averaged 29.6 points on 60.5% shooting to go along with 9.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.7 steals across 22 games for Hapoel Rishon.
The Mercury mark Simms’ second WNBA team after she was the 18th overall pick for the Washington Mystics in the 2017 draft.
Cannon suits up for Phoenix after averaging a double-double overseas with the Israeli League’s Elitzur Ramla.
She first played for the Mercury back in 2017, averaging 4.4 points on 49.1% shooting to go along with 3.6 rebounds per game.
The forward signed on with Phoenix for training camp the following offseason but was waived before the start of the year.
Cannon also had stints with the Connecticut Sun, Aces and Indiana Fever.
In addition to the replacement contracts, Phoenix was granted with both a roster exemption and salary cap relief for starting center Brittney Griner.
The center was detained upon her arrival in Moscow on Feb. 17 when authorities found vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis — a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Griner’s status has been changed to “wrongfully detained” by U.S. officials and she has a hearing scheduled for May 19.
The WNBA also plans on honoring Griner with a decal of her initials and number on every court among the 12 teams in the league.
Phoenix opens the season on Friday at Footprint Center against the Las Vegas Aces at 7 p.m.
The Associated press contributed to this report.
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