"Didn't age well" - WNBA fans react to Natasha Cloud being traded days after flexing new Mercury facility

Natasha Cloud's tenure with the Phoenix Mercury lasted just one season after the team traded her to the Connecticut Sun. Cloud was seemingly caught off guard by the decision since she was flexing the Mercury's new facility days before the deal happened.

The Mercury entered their new era after acquiring Alyssa Thomas from the Sun in exchange for Cloud, Rebecca Allen and the No. 12 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The Sun also sent Tyasha Harris to Phoenix as part of the deal.

Longtime Mercury star Brittney Griner joined the Atlanta Dream hours after the trade was announced. Diana Taurasi is contemplating retirement, which officially ends the current chapter of the franchise's history.

Just days before the trade happened, Cloud was ecstatic about the Mercury's multi-million dollar facility. She shared a video of her state-of-the-art locker room on social media only to get sent to Connecticut, whose facilities are relatively underwhelming.

WNBA fans couldn't believe what happened, with others pointing out the bad side of sports. Teams can easily trade players without notice, which is part of the contract they signed.

"That didn’t aged well," a fan tweeted.

"I know this feels like a bad dream to her," one fan claimed.

"Everything good can't last forever," another fan remarked.

Natasha Cloud signed a two-year, $400,00 contract with the Phoenix Mercury last season. Cloud will enter the final year of the deal in hopes of landing one big contract at the start of the new CBA.

"Never be loyal to your employer because they will get rid of you without thinking twice. That goes for every job. Natasha Cloud just had to learn this rule the hard way today. But damn they sent her to Connecticut of all places. That sucks," a fan wrote.

"At the end of the day, it's a business and it’s a reminder that players don’t owe teams anything and should do what’s best for themselves," one fan commented.

"That's shady asf man! They should've told her to take that day off instead of doing that video," another fan responded.

Cloud averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game in her first season in Phoenix. She spent the first eight years of her career with the Washington Mystics, winning a championship in 2019.

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Natasha Cloud hints about her feelings following trade

While trades are part of being a pro athlete, it's still a surprising feeling especially if it happened without notice. Natasha Cloud hinted at the hurt she felt after the Phoenix Mercury traded her to the Connecticut Sun.

Fans shared one of Cloud's liked posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, which featured someone saying that the Mercury "did her dirty."

Cloud steps in as part of a new-look Connecticut team following Alyssa Thomas' departure.