Mercury Agree to Buyout with Former 7th Overall Pick

Kalani Brown, a 6-foot-7 center, is now an unrestricted free agent after parting ways with the Phoenix team.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 3:06am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the fragmented action of a WNBA basketball game, with sharp planes of color representing the players and court.The Mercury's roster overhaul continues as the team parts ways with a former high draft pick, signaling a new era for the franchise.Phoenix Today

The Phoenix Mercury have agreed to a buyout with Kalani Brown, a former 7th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. Brown played 29 games for the Mercury last season, averaging 5.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 12.8 minutes off the bench. The 29-year-old center is now an unrestricted free agent and could draw interest from teams looking to bolster their frontcourt.

Why it matters

The Mercury are retooling their roster after a disappointing sweep in the WNBA Finals last season. The buyout of Brown comes after the team lost top scorer Satou Sabally to free agency and Kitija Laksa and Lexi Held in the expansion draft. Phoenix will need to find a new backup center as they aim to bounce back and make another deep playoff run.

The details

Kalani Brown was the 7th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. After stints with the Los Angeles Sparks, Atlanta Dream, and Dallas Wings, she joined the Mercury last season. In 29 games, Brown averaged 5.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game off the bench. At 6-foot-7 with a physical presence, Brown could draw interest from teams looking to add size and energy to their frontcourt.

  • Kalani Brown agreed to a buyout with the Phoenix Mercury on April 17, 2026.

The players

Kalani Brown

A 29-year-old center who was the 7th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. She has played for the Los Angeles Sparks, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, and most recently the Phoenix Mercury.

Satou Sabally

The Mercury's top scorer last season, who signed a three-year deal with the New York Liberty in free agency.

Kitija Laksa

A player the Mercury lost to the Toronto Tempo in the WNBA expansion draft.

Lexi Held

Another player the Mercury lost to the Toronto Tempo in the WNBA expansion draft.

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What’s next

The Mercury will need to find a new backup center to replace Kalani Brown as they look to bounce back from their WNBA Finals sweep and make another deep playoff run.

The takeaway

The Mercury are in the midst of a roster overhaul, having lost key contributors like Satou Sabally, Kitija Laksa, and Lexi Held. The buyout of Kalani Brown is the latest move as the team tries to retool and improve upon their WNBA Finals appearance last season.