Rookie point guard Celeste Taylor was re-signed by the Phoenix Mercury to a seven-day deal on Friday, the team announced. This will be her second stint in Phoenix since originally signing her first seven-day deal with the team on July 12.
Taylor’s first seven-day with the Mercury expired after a road win at the Chicago Sky on Aug 15. She had six points from two 3s, added two assists, one block and a rebound in 17 minutes.
The Connecticut Sun announced on Aug. 16 that Taylor signed with them and made her lone appearance for Connecticut in a 109-91 win at the Dallas Wings that same day.
Taylor was drafted No. 15 overall by the Indiana Fever out of Ohio State in April, then was waived by Indiana on June 25.
She has appeared in 11 games combined for Indiana, Phoenix, and Connecticut. She’s averaged her best 2.5 points, 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 15.8 minutes in four games for Phoenix.
Taylor already had experience transitioning from team to team, playing for three different colleges ā Texas and Duke ā and then finishing at Ohio State.
The 5-11 Taylor is filling the Mercury’s backup point guard void, a position where they’ve been thin most of this season behind starter Natasha Cloud, who is third in the WNBA in assists.
Former backup Sug Sutton and the team’s 2025 third-round pick were dealt to the Washington Mystics for the rights to Swedish national team guard Klara Lundquist at Tuesday’s trade deadline. But Lundquist won’t play for the Mercury this season and is set to play overseas for Spar Girona of Spain’s Liga Femenina next year.
Sutton produced 2.9 points, 2.4 assists in 15 minutes through 22 games for the Mercury this season.
Also, the Mercury’s 2024 third-round pick, Charisma Osborne, has appeared in just two games this season, and was expected to miss her 13th straight at the Atlanta Dream on Friday.
Taylor is ninth in the league and the Mercury’s best for assist-to-turnover ratio (2.67) and brings more pace to their offense. Phoenix is ninth-ranked in assists and pace averages. Taylor is right behind Sutton for individual pace at 98.58 for 39th in the league.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rookie guard Taylor rejoins Mercury on 7-day deal after week with Sun
