The Indianapolis Fever were indeed very interested in acquiring Satou Sabally, a dynamic forward, during the 2025 WNBA free agency period. However, despite the Fever’s interest, Sabally did not end up with them.
As reported by Alexa Philippou on X, and widely confirmed, Satou Sabally was officially cored by the Dallas Wings. This move was critical because Sabally had previously stated her intention to leave Dallas, declaring she had played her last game for the Wings and that both she and the team were looking to facilitate her departure. The core designation gave the Wings exclusive negotiating rights, preventing her from simply signing elsewhere and allowing them to get assets in return via a sign-and-trade.
Ultimately, Satou Sabally’s “transfer” (which was a sign-and-trade deal) was agreed upon for a contract valued at $215,000 for the 2025 season. While some reports initially cited a figure of $249,244, official WNBA salary tracking indicates her core qualifying offer for 2025 was $215,000. This guaranteed one-year deal, as part of her core designation, secured her supermax-level compensation.
The destination for Satou Sabally was not the Indiana Fever, but rather the Phoenix Mercury. This was part of a complex three-team trade that involved the Dallas Wings, Phoenix Mercury, and the Indiana Fever.
Here’s a breakdown of the specific details of that multi-team transaction:
- Phoenix Mercury received:
- Satou Sabally (via sign-and-trade from Dallas Wings)
- Center Kalani Brown (from Dallas Wings)
- Guard Sevgi Uzun (from Dallas Wings)
- Dallas Wings received:
- Guard Tyasha Harris (from Phoenix Mercury)
- Forward NaLyssa Smith (from Indiana Fever)
- The No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (from Indiana Fever)
- The rights to forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (from Phoenix Mercury)
- The right to swap second-round picks with the Connecticut Sun in 2026 (acquired in a separate trade by Dallas)
- The right to swap third-round picks with the Indiana Fever in 2027
- Indiana Fever received:
- Guard Sophie Cunningham (from Phoenix Mercury)
- Guard Jaelyn Brown (from Phoenix Mercury)
- The No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (from Phoenix Mercury)
This trade highlights how teams utilize the core designation to their advantage, even when a star player wants to leave. Dallas, by coring Sabally, ensured they didn’t lose her for nothing and acquired significant assets in return, including former first-round pick NaLyssa Smith and a valuable draft pick.
For the Indiana Fever, while they missed out on Sabally, they still gained a valuable piece in Sophie Cunningham, a tough, sharpshooting wing who can contribute immediately. This move, combined with their successful re-signing of Kelsey Mitchell and the additions of DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard in other free agency moves, solidified their roster as a contender, even without Sabally.
Satou Sabally, meanwhile, is now a key part of a revamped Phoenix Mercury team. She joins Alyssa Thomas (also acquired via sign-and-trade) and Kahleah Copper, forming a new “super team” that aims to compete for a championship. Sabally has been named a starter for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, marking her third career All-Star selection, and is averaging 19.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game through 17 games this season with the Mercury.
