After an extended absence, veteran forward DeWanna Bonner is no longer expected to return to the Indiana Fever.
Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile reported on Tuesday that Bonner has no interest in returning to play for the Fever. League sources indicated Bonner’s preferred landing spots are with the Phoenix Mercury or the Atlanta Dream.
Bonner signed a one-year, near-max $200,000 deal in February. The hope was Bonner would improve Indiana’s defense and bring a championship pedigree that would elevate Indiana to the next level. The two-time WNBA champion also arrived as a six-time WNBA All-Star.
But, Bonner hasn’t played since June 10 and has the worst on-off differential on the team. The Fever have a minus-10.2 net rating in her 192 minutes on the court and a plus-15.1 net rating in the 328 minutes she has not been out there.
Bonner is averaging 7.1 points and 3.8 rebounds on a career-worst 34.5% shooting from the field. The 6-foot-4 forward started three games and appeared in nine with the Fever.
“I haven’t had a lot of conversations recently. Really been focused on the group that we have right here and what we need to do to position ourselves to win,” Fever coach Stephanie White said Tuesday of Bonner.
Fever star Caitlin Clark discussed what Bonner had brought to Indiana’s locker room after Bonner moved into third place on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list with her seven points in the Fever’s season-opening win on May 17.
“The strongest voice in our locker room is hers. And it’s fun to have been around her now for about a month, just to get to learn from her and soak it all in,” Clark said.
With its 94-86 win at Seattle on Tuesday night, the Fever improved to 3-2 without Bonner and 7-7 overall.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: DeWanna Bonner reportedly not planning on return to Indiana Fever
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
