Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts admitted to being at a crossroads regarding the decision to waive Kiana Williams on Sunday.

This decision arrived as last year's finalists have had it tough, with a 2-7 record to open the season. Speaking to Clutch Points' Hayden Cilley after practice, Tibbetts revealed waiving Williams was not an easy decision to make by any means.

“Kiana, that one was tough,” Tibbetts said. “Kiana’s been a really good part of our team here the last year and a half. Someone that I think a lot of as a person and a player. I think when you’re not winning, there’s moves that you’re going to make.”

Williams spent part of her last season with the Mercury, tagging alongside for the WNBA Finals, which gave her an outlook of the team's culture and expectations.

This familiarity carried on into training camp and preseason this year, as Williams was praised for her playmaking, scoring punch, and steady backcourt presence.

She also received strong acclaim for her preseason performances, including a 16-point outing against the Chicago Sky that made it seem like she could carve out a role for herself once the regular season began.

However, even after such attributes, Williams was unable to find herself in the starting lineup after guard Monique Akoa Makani returned. With Tibbetts adding a key piece back into the hardwood, Williams saw her minutes shrink and her role become more limited.

But this sudden waiver speaks more about the position the Mercury are currently in, rather than Williams' actual performance.

Kiana Williams' Waive Reflects the Phoenix Mercury's Early Struggles

The 2025 WNBA runner-up have been unable to come back from the tough loss they endured against the Las Vegas Aces in the final and now find themselves with only two wins out of nine.

Williams' waiver suggests desperation and urgency surrounding the team. Rather than waiting to see whether the current roster would eventually click, Phoenix instead created flexibility now.

The Mercury now has the option of adding depth to the squad that will matter more as the season progresses, or look for a specific skill set that would help them in either offense or defense.

While the Mercury still has time to make it to the playoffs, the margin for error becomes narrower as every week passes.

The Mercury next faces a heavyweight in the Minnesota Lynx (6-2), as they will need to turn things around quickly to even think of making it to the playoffs.

So, do you think the 2025 WNBA Finalists can make a comeback early on in the season? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at Her Sports Nation!

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy