The Connecticut Sun star has reportedly asked out — where could she play next season?
Connectictut Sun guard Marina Mabrey has requested a trade, her agent told ESPN. She joined the Sun midseason after asking for a trade from the Chicago Sky, and was highly impactful from the moment she arrived in Connecticut.
But the team she joined in in July is no longer intact, with every coach rotation player (other than her) ending up on a different roster ahead of next season.
Assuming the Sun honors her trade request, where could the sharpshooter land next year?
The reality is, from a fit standpoint, Mabrey could boost almost every team in the WNBA. She’s a solid defender, a great shooter, and is someone who could easily either start or come off the bench. She’s never been named an All-Star before, but her production has nonetheless consistently been high — last season, she averaged 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. In her 16 games with Connecticut last year, she shot 42.4% from three.
A big part of why Mabrey wanted to go to Connecticut in the first place was for the chance to compete for a championship — so that’ll likely be something she prioritizes in a trade destination.
The real question is what the Sun may want in return from a trading partner, and whether that’s future picks or win-now players. The front office has been clear that being competitive now is a priority, but it just might not be possible considering the mass exodus of players this offseason.
It’d be pretty surprising to see Mabrey end up on the Sky (where she played last season), or the Wings (where she played the year prior), but outside of those two destinations, it doesn’t seem like any destination is completely off the table. Something else to consider — her 2025 salary, which is $210,000. It’s the last year on her contract.
Mabrey could realistically end up on most WNBA rosters, but let’s take a look at some potential destinations.
Seattle Storm
What direction are the Storm headed? It’s not quite clear. On one hand, they have two three elite veterans in Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Ezi Magbegor. On the other hand, they effectively traded Jewell Loyd for the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, a move that seems to indicate they’re potentially looking more toward the future than the present. Mabrey would help create space for the Storm’s two stars, and she’s also someone who can reliably create her own shot. The Storm need shooting. They also have three 2026 first round picks, so they have something to offer Connecticut.
Photo by Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images
The current 2025 Storm roster includes: Nika Muhl, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Gabby Williams, Ezi Magbegor, Jordan Horston, Li Yueru
Golden State Valkyries
The Valkyries — the WNBA’s 2025 expansion team — struck out in free agency and weren’t able to sign any WNBA stars. Marina Mabrey is not quite an All-Star, but she’d instantly become the most accomplished player on the roster if they were able to acquire her. Golden State will likely want to hold onto the No. 5 pick, but if there’s a way to do that but package up some of their younger talent (and maybe a future pick) for Mabrey, there’s a good chance they’d be interested.
Photo by Mike Rasay/NBAE via Getty Images
The current 2025 Valkyries roster includes: Veronica Burton, Carla Leite, Stephanie Talbot, Temi Fagbenle, Monique Billings, Julie Vanloo, Kyara Linskens, Janelle Salaun, Chloe Bibby, Kayla Thornton, Kate Martin.
Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury are the closest team to a contender on this list — and based on Mabrey’s past words, it’s very likely she’ll want to play for one. Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper are the big three, and Mabrey could help provide an additional scoring punch on that roster. While Sabally is fresh off of a superb shooting season (45.2%), Copper shot 31.4% from three last year and Thomas doesn’t shoot them at all — so they could certainly benefit from increased spacing. With Natasha Cloud and Sophie Cunningham both departed from Phoenix, Mabrey could help replace some of the lost shooting.
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images
The current 2025 Mercury roster includes: Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper, Sevgi Uzun, Natasha Mack, Amy Atwell, Celeste Taylor, Kalani Brown, Sami Whitcomb
Atlanta Dream
Everybody knows that newly-hired head coach Karl Smesko loves three-point shooting — that defined his tenure at FGCU. But, the current Dream roster could certainly benefit from additional shooters after signing two non-shooting bigs in free agency in Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner.
And, Mabrey is currently playing in the 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, where returning Dream veterans Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada, and Rhyne Howard are all playing. That trio already recruited Brittney Griner to join them — could Mabrey be next?
The current 2025 Dream roster includes: Naz Hillmon, Holly Winterburn, Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, Nia Coffey, Haley Jones, Allisha Gray, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Brionna Jones, Brittney Griner
