The Atlanta Dream have already locked up their fourth straight playoff appearance and 12th trip to the postseason in franchise history, and the roster around Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray has been built with a championship push in mind.
Jordin Canada, Naz Hillmon, Te-Hina PaoPao and Bri Jones round out a group Atlanta hopes can go the distance this fall. That group got tougher this week. The Dream were the team that eliminated the Phoenix Mercury from playoff contention in late August, and not long after, Phoenix general manager Nick U’Ren agreed to a buyout with 39-year-old DeWanna Bonner.
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That opened the door for the six-time All-Star to catch on with a contender for what could be her final postseason run. Atlanta was floated early as a possible landing spot, even with the Dream being the team that had just knocked the Mercury out.
That speculation is now confirmed. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported Wednesday that Bonner is signing with Atlanta as a free agent, reportedly at the prorated max of around $116,000. The move gives the Dream a two-time WNBA champion to add to a roster already positioning itself for a deep run.
Bonner is still producing at a level that justifies the move. Across 37 games this season, she is averaging 10.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists, numbers that suggest she can still contribute in a real way despite being deep into her career.
Her fit next to Reese stands out in particular. Bonner’s shooting and experience could open up more room for Reese to operate in the paint, and her presence on the wing gives Atlanta another dependable scoring option, potentially easing some of the offensive load currently on Gray.
For a Dream team gearing up for the playoffs, that kind of frontcourt and wing versatility could end up mattering.
