Mercury acquires DeShields in three-team deal

Diamond DeShields is headed to the desert.

The Phoenix Mercury announced the acquisition of the All-Star shooting guard on Thursday in a three-team sign-and-trade deal.

As part of the deal, the Chicago Sky receives the Mercury's 2023 first-round pick along with point guard Julie Allemand from the Indiana Fever. The Fever receives a pair of second-round picks, in 2022 and 2023, and guard Bria Hartley from the Mercury, as well as the Sky's 2022 and 2023 first-round selections.

“Diamond DeShields is as dynamic an athlete as we have in our league and at just 26 years old has already been a champion, an All-Star and an All-WNBA performer," Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a statement. "She was one of our top targets this offseason because of her ability to score and defend from the wing position and how dangerous she is in the open floor. We are thrilled to add Diamond to our All-Star core.”

DeShields, 26, was the third overall pick of the 2018 WNBA Draft out of Tennessee.

She appeared in 33 contests last season, averaging 11.3 points on .393 shooting with 3.5 boards and 2.3 assists over 26.9 minutes a night. She was instrumental in the Sky's first ever WNBA Championship last fall in which they defeated the Mercury in four games.

A native of West Palm Beach, FL, DeShields is the daughter of former Montreal Expos infielder Delino DeShields and the sister of outfielder Delino DeShields Jr., who spent last season with the Cincinnati Reds.