Mercury’s new Big 3 with Kelsey Plum must click right away

Kelsey Plum has made it work with a star-studded ensemble before and she’s going to have to put that experience to quick work in order for the Phoenix Mercury to turn it around.

Phoenix entered play on Monday six games behind the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics for a playoff spot, and despite the unforeseen way in which this season spiraled, the Mercury acted with their trademark aggression in regards to adding marquee talent.

Plum, an All-Star each of the last five seasons, was acquired at the league’s trade deadline on Saturday in exchange for guard Monique Akoa-Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder. Whether it is the Mercury’s current record (11-19) with 14 games left in the regular season, Plum being on an expiring contract or that first-rounder coming in a hyped-up draft class, there is a lot riding on this working right away.

They picked the right player for that.

Plum won two titles with the Las Vegas Aces and has five gold medals representing Team USA across various international tournaments, including the 2024 Summer Olympics. She knows how to click with her fellow stars, like Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper.

“I think coming in and being adaptable,” Plum said as the key to immediate chemistry. “Just trying to see where the team needs you moving on the ball, off the ball, defensively — just for me having a level of humility and, ‘Hey, what do you need from me?’ … Really just trying to learn fast and not make the same mistake twice. And also just trust my instincts.

“Like you said, I played with stars before so I think at the end of the day just being decisive with your decision-making. Getting off the ball, moving really well without the ball and competing at a high level. It’ll come easier than people expect.”

Plum will have to do so after missing five weeks due to injury. It is a large task ahead for both her and the Mercury.

Stylistically, it’s just about perfect, because that’s the case for whatever type of team and roster you put Plum on.

“Kelsey fits with anyone, to be honest,” general manager Nick U’Ren said. “We’re really excited with her ability to stretch the floor, the force she puts on the paint, her ability to get to the rim, her passing ability, the pace she plays with (and) I think she complements our current players well.”

Plum, 31, is one of the best guards in the W and is in her prime too. She excels the most off the bounce, reaching a level of efficiency at a high volume that few do.

She lives in the paint, scoring a ton around the basket despite coming in at 5-foot-8 and is one of the premier pull-up shooters around. Over the last five seasons, there have been just 15 players to take at least five 3s a game over that stretch, and Plum’s 38.2% mark on seven triples a night is tied for fourth among that group, per Stathead. In that same crew of 15, Plum’s two-point percentage of 51.5% sits third.

Plum’s ability to still generate rim pressure like Thomas and Copper, but to also affect the game in other areas as a scorer will add multiple new dynamics to the way head coach Nate Tibbetts can stylize his offense. She’s played in 35 playoff games as well with a signature brand of toughness and moxie, so that will only help her ability to form continuity on the fly. The latter will be extremely important to rejuvenate a team lacking those attributes that made last year’s Mercury team so special.

The potential for the three together is up there with any trio in the WNBA. And as we’ve seen, Thomas and Copper as two parts of that has the upside to make a Finals run, as they showed with Satou Sabally last season.

Plum and U’Ren were vague and indirect on her potential long-term future with the organization, although the aforementioned dynamics of this trade have to make you believe the Mercury are operating with a certain level of faith that this will not just be a handful of games and a half-season together.

Regardless, even if Plum re-signs with the Mercury, there is a lot riding on these next two months. Every game matters, beginning on Monday in Chicago.

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