Think the NBA is the only one that has a monopoly on shocking trades? I mean, sure, nothing could top that moment when Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers back in early February. However, the WNBA came pretty close to it when it was announced that Alyssa Thomas would be concluding her decade-long journey with the Connecticut Sun after being traded to Phoenix Mercury as part of a four-team trade.

As highlighted by Sports Business Journal, The Sun will now enter a “rebuilding era that will be difficult to traverse” after the trade. While every other squad member’s reaction to the trade news may not be known, we know that Caitlin Bickle will miss her.

The Connecticut Suns forward was recently interviewed by EssentiallySports’ very own Andrew Whitelaw. As the conversation progressed, Whitelaw asked the WNBA player if any other league athlete had an impact on her. This led Bickle to state, “I mean, I think I got lucky I had AT (Alyssa Thomas) on my team for the last two years. Like, I got to be a part of her team for the last two years. And she’s just…. she knows the game so well. She can play one through five practically. I think she’s a great leader. She wants to win. So, I think that kind of impact like just, her knowledge of the game and the way she sees it, is just…. it… like, it’s fun to watch”.

Bickle has always been someone who values the mental side of basketball, which is exactly why she holds Alyssa Thomas in such high regard. And now, with Thomas set to suit up for a new WNBA team for the first time in her career, Bickle knows she’s going to miss her presence.

Thomas’s impact on the league speaks for itself. She’s been a force, finishing top five in MVP voting for three straight seasons. Over 11 years, she’s suited up for 319 games—starting in 309 of them—while averaging 12.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. CBS Sports even credited her for turning the Connecticut Sun into a “perennial contender.” And they’re not wrong—she helped lead them to the Finals in both 2019 and 2022.

During her final days with the Suns, reports claimed that Thomas wasn’t satisfied with the Suns. Aka the same team she had been with after she was drafted 4th overall during the 2014 WNBA draft. Thomas was especially displeased with the organization’s lack of amenities, both during and after the recent WNBA season.

After the Sun’s practice before Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Indiana Fever was disrupted, she publicly stated “To have to share your court with a two-year-olds birthday party, [it’s the] ultimate disrespect”.

Well, Thomas now has nothing to fret about. She will be starting the new WNBA season with a team that recently opened a 58,000-square-foot, $100 million facility!

Alyssa Thomas may have gotten a better place to hone her skills. Unfortunately, this has left Caitlin Bickle without a mentor. Worse of all, Thomas will now be an opponent that Bickle will have to watch out for. After all, the veteran only has championship aspirations in her mind.

Alyssa Thomas sets eyes on the championship during her introductory press conference: “don’t plan on being any different”

Alyssa Thomas’s trade put the Phoenix Mercury in a new light. As highlighted by ESPN, it was the first “tangible signal” that the team was shifting into a new era. Plus, the acquisition of Satou Sabally raised hope of a ‘Big 3’ being formed by Sabally, Thomas, and Kahleah Copper. General manager Nick U’Ren decided it was time to make a move and reset. Thomas wanted to make a fresh start. However, she did not wish to do it at the expense of abandoning something old.

“I don’t plan on being any different than what I’ve been on my past team in Connecticut,” said Thomas during her introductory news conference. “I’m trying to win. I don’t want to drop off. I want to continue to play at the same level, be in the playoffs, and the goal is to win a championship”.

Moreover, she added, “We all come from different winning backgrounds and now we get a chance to be together and accomplish something, something different. It’s time to get back to the playoffs. I’m still chasing a championship so just excited to be a part of this group.”

A mentor-turned-rival? That’s the kind of drama even Hollywood might think twice about scripting. But this isn’t a movie—this is real life. And for Caitlin Bickle, Alyssa Thomas’s exit isn’t just a shake-up; it’s a game-changer.

How much will losing Thomas as a teammate—and facing her as a competitor—impact Bickle? That’s a question only the next WNBA season can answer.