Marta Suárez, the forward Seattle originally picked 16th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, just inked her second seven-day contract with the Phoenix Mercury this Friday, July 17. Yeah, you read that right. The Emerald City drafted this former first-round pick, and now she is fighting for her spot, bouncing between deals. It’s a wild ride for the rookie, and it started right after the draft.
From Storm Draft Pick to Phoenix’s Seven-Day Rollercoaster
Suárez’s WNBA journey has been anything but smooth, especially after leaving Seattle. After the Storm’s draft night move, she ended up with the Golden State Valkyries, who then waived her on May 2. Just a few days later, on May 6, she signed a developmental contract with the Phoenix Mercury and spent over a month with the organization. But even that wasn’t permanent. Phoenix released her from that deal, then signed her to a seven-day contract on July 9. And then, less than a week later, they released her *again* on July 16, only to re-sign her to another seven-day deal on July 17. Talk about being on the edge of your seat! You gotta wonder what’s going through her head.
The Draft Night Deal That Sent Her Away
It’s easy to forget, but Suárez was a Seattle pick first. The Storm selected her 16th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft. But then, Golden State made a move on draft night that sent Suárez’s rights out of our city. The Valkyries traded their eighth overall pick, Flau’Jae Johnson, to the Storm for the draft rights to Suárez and a 2028 second-round pick. Golden State general manager Ohemaa Nyanin sidestepped questions about the trade at the time, only saying she needed to “take a beat” to respond. But Nyanin did speak highly of Suárez, who had a breakout season at TCU in 2025-2026, making the All-Big 12 team. “Marta is fierce. She’s fearless,” Nyanin said, adding that Suárez has “a very high basketball IQ” and “high character is off the charts.” Those are big words for a player who’s now on her second consecutive seven-day deal. While players like Paige Bueckers and Betty Lennox soared to Rookie of the Year status, Suárez is battling for every single day in the league.
So, what’s next for Marta Suárez? Another seven days to prove she belongs. You know all of Seattle, still keeping an eye on her, is rooting for her to stick.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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