With the Washington Mystics making no mention of Monique Currie earlier this week, I had a feeling that her time in D.C. came to an end when she tweeted this Wednesday night:
I have the best agent
— Monique Currie (@Mocurrie25) February 5, 2015
She also showed an Instagram of her signing a contract where the term "Phoenix Mercury" was rather poorly crossed out, but I found it hard to be an April Fool's joke at this point:
On Thursday, the Phoenix Mercury announced that they have signed Currie to a contract. Currie is entering her 10th year in the WNBA, where she played for the Charlotte Sting in 2006, the Chicago Sky in 2007, and the Washington Mystics from 2007 to 2014.
Currie has averaged 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in her career. She was named a WNBA All-Star in 2010 when she represented the WNBA team in the WNBA vs. Team USA showcase that year. In 2014, she played in all of the Mystics' games where she averaged 9.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
What Currie provides for the Mercury
Currie will help the Mercury's wing rotation, where I presume she will be in a sixth man role behind DeWanna Bonner and Penny Taylor, who is also an unrestricted free agent. For a team that already has a strong lineup like Phoenix, having Currie as a sixth man is a really scary thing due to her production and consistency.
Per Basketball Reference, Currie's Per-36 stats have been quite consistent where she has averaged between 14.5 and 19.4 points per 36 minutes played. She also has been above average in getting to the free throw line where she has averaged over 0.5 free throws per field goal attempt in her career.
And should Taylor not re-sign with the Mercury, Currie should still be able to start in a pinch.
What this means for the Mystics
With Currie now in Phoenix, the Mystics' roster has now been completely turned over from the time when Mike Thibault was hired as General Manager and Head Coach, which is a good thing. However, that turnover also increases his accountability going forward.
I always liked that Currie was a consistent performer each and every night she played in D.C. so good luck in Phoenix Mo.
This move allows her to play for a league contender while she has some good years left in her, and the Mystics can now plan on looking for another player to take her place in the near future. Therefore, I find this a mutual parting of ways for both parties.