Natasha Cloud knew Kahleah Copper would boost Mercury's title hopes
PHOENIX — Guard Natasha Cloud was driving when she heard that Kahleah Copper would be joining her on the Mercury via trade.
The alert forced her to pull over on the side of the road.
“As soon as I got wind that Kah was coming, I knew that made us a championship team this year,” Cloud said.
Cloud signed as a free agent with the idea that the Mercury would need one more year before they could be considered legit contenders. Copper immediately changed that view and not just in Cloud’s mind, either.
Coach Nate Tibbetts and general manager Nick U’Ren have heaped praise on Copper, who is just entering her prime. And they’ve been most impressed by her mentality.
Copper has reached new heights this season. She’s averaging 23.7 points, five more than she did last year as the Sky’s leading scorer.
In her last few seasons with the Sky, Copper’s intention was to add something new to her game each year. In 2022 and 2023, she focused on her three-point shooting. In ’22, she shot 35.6% from long range. The next season, she improved to 40.4%. This year, consistency has been her goal.
Tibbetts admires her willingness to learn from the veterans around her.
“As a young player in this league, developing your professional habits, how you work and how you treat your teammates is important,” Tibbetts said. “The more you’re around veterans like Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi, those things rub off.
“I’ve just been really impressed with Kah’s consistency day to day.”
Copper has been held to fewer than 10 points only three times this season and fewer than 20 points nine times.
Her improved scoring can be attributed to the fact that she’s not seeing box-and-one defenses anymore and her usage is up. But it’s also a fact that in Phoenix, Copper is in the role that best suits her.
“When we got Kah, it put all of our players in the roles that they needed to be in,” Tibbetts said. “Who she has around her, the veteran presence, some all-time greats — they’ve all been able to lean on each other.”
Trade deadline approaching
The trade deadline is Tuesday. Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca already has made one midseason trade, sending Marina Mabrey to the Sun for draft stock and guards Moriah Jefferson and Rachel Banham.
Before the game against the Mercury, he gave little away about the possibility of another trade.
“We’re always considering all of our options when it comes to improving the roster,” Pagliocca said. “At the same time, we’ve made moves and are really happy with where we are.”
One potential trade scenario is moving guard Dana Evans, who last month expressed discontent about how her role had been diminished since being moved out of the starting five. Pagliocca has shown a willingness to part with anyone for the right return. He has valued trade assets in his deals.
Since taking over as GM, Pagliocca has acquired four first-round picks, two of which he used to select Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese in the 2024 draft.