Former Indiana Fever Player Traded 28 Days After Joining Team
Former Indiana Fever forward Chloe Bibby never got a chance to settle in with her new team.
The Portland Fire selected the Australian wing No. 11 overall in the WNBA Expansion Draft on April 8. The expansion team had a change of heart and shipped Bibby to the Phoenix Mercury.
The trade comes just days before the 2026 WNBA season opener. Portland acquired the rights to guard Julia Ayrault in return.
The Mercury will be Bibby's fourth team in the WNBA. She went undrafted in 2022 but signed a training camp contract with the Minnesota Lynx. She also had stints with the Fever and Golden State Valkyries.
The 27-year-old brings a wealth of overseas experience and veteran leadership to the Mercury.
Bibby made the most of her lone season with the Fever in 2025. The Australian wing initially signed a seven-day contract. But she impressed head coach Stephanie White enough to earn a deal for the rest of the campaign.
Bibby averaged 3.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 9.8 minutes off the bench. Her campaign, however, was cut short after nine games due to a season-ending knee injury. She joined a long list of casualties in Indiana. Key stars Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham also suffered season-ending injuries.
The Fire still saw enough to select her in the WNBA Expansion Draft. They valued her toughness and shooting ability. Portland ultimately dealt her to Phoenix, but Bibby takes that same hard-nosed mentality with her to the Mercury.
The Fever crowd should show Bibby plenty of love when she returns in a different jersey next season.
Related: Caitlin Clark Is Bullish About WNBA's Growth as League Swells to 15 Teams
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 7:17 AM.