When details emerged concerning the Phoenix Mercury’s blockbuster trade, Natasha Cloud was unaware she was part of the deal with the Connecticut Sun.
The Mercury acquired forward Alyssa Thomas and guard Ty Harris, but sent Cloud, Rebecca Allen, and the No. 12 pick to Connecticut on Jan. 28.
“The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, to say the least,” Cloud said. “I think for the public view, if this isn’t proof enough of the business of the NBA, the WNBA… this is what it is. It’s really hard to be loyal to organizations in this situation when you can just up and move no matter what.”
Cloud added: “And so that was really hard for me, uprooting my family to the West Coast, being told I was going to retire as a Phoenix Mercury, and to then be shipped out and find out with you guys on social media, that was really fun for me.”
Phantom BC/Connecticut Sun guard Natasha Cloud says the last few weeks have been a “whirlwind.”
She says she was told she was going to be able to retire as a Phoenix Mercury and found out about the trade on social media.#Unrivaled #WNBA pic.twitter.com/dgD2cDdXB6
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) February 8, 2025
More: Mercury introduce veteran star Satou Sabally, acquired in WNBA free agency
After the Washington Mystics parted ways with Cloud during the offseason following eight seasons and a championship, she felt she found her home with the Mercury after signing a two-year contract in 2024.
“That part of it was really hard. Even harder than being sent to Connecticut as a 33-year-old, it just wasn’t what I expected,” Cloud continued. “Not for the tenure that I had, not for the loyalty that I’ve presented. So I just want the best situation for myself and my family moving forward, and I just want to be in an organization that truly invests from top to bottom: facilities, team, location, all of that. I want to compete for championships.”
When the trade was made official on Feb. 2, Cloud agreed with a comment on X that said that sports is a business and players are expendable.
The point guard heavily supported the franchise throughout her one season with the Mercury. While at Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league, Cloud tried to recruit other free agents to join the Mercury.
One of those free agents was Satou Sabally, who joined the Mercury via a three-team trade. The Mercury made another shocking move in that trade by sending veteran wing Sophie Cunningham to the Indiana Fever. Kahleah Copper is the only starter from last season’s team currently under contract with the Mercury.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Natasha Cloud learned about Phoenix Mercury trade via social media
