Phoenix Mercury

How the WNBA handles the punishments stemming from Saturday's scuffle during the Dallas Wings' 80-77 victory over the Phoenix Mercury will apparently play a role in how long Brittney Griner remains in the league.

"How they handle this will determine a lot about the future," Griner said, per Jeff Metcalfe of the Arizona Republic (h/t USA Today). "Because how can I fight for some league that doesn't even want to protect their players?"

Griner, who is in the final year of her contract with the Mercury, implied she may not have even played in the league this season if she were on another team: "They better hope our coaches and GM (Jim Pitman) don't go anywhere and DB (DeWanna Bonner) plays here forever. Because I'll be done in a heartbeat if I was anywhere else."

Metcalfe noted Griner makes approximately the league maximum of $115,000 this season in the NBA, which is notably less than the seven figures she makes on her Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the offseason.

"I'm not doing it for the money because we don't make enough and they want to fine me for every little thing," Griner said. "I'm getting techs for protecting myself in games and flagrants because they always only see me. They never see anything beforehand. I'm basically not getting paid this summer already (due to fines)."

The comments come after Griner was one of six players ejected during Saturday's matchup.

She threw punches toward Kristine Anigwe after they were tangled under the basket and then chased her around the court. Both were ejected along with Phoenix's Diana Taurasi and Briann January and Dallas' Kayla Thornton and Kaela Davis.

Griner suggested Thornton should face a longer suspension considering she ran after the Phoenix center after the play and attempted to hit her.

"Honestly Thornton should get the most because she wasn't involved," Griner said, per Metcalfe. "You weren't involved. You should have been like everybody else, trying to calm it down. Everybody that was just trying to calm it down, they got ejected. That should be their punishment. They shouldn't get any games. Because how are you going to let your teammate get jumped and go try to help cool it down?"

Griner is one of the WNBA's most notable players as a six-time All-Star and the league's leading scorer.

Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi is likely to miss 10 to 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a disc in her back, the team announced Thursday. 

"Diana began experiencing symptoms during offseason workouts, notified us, and in conjunction with our medical staff determined the right course of action," Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said. "We have confidence that this procedure will not only get her back on the court but ensure she can get back to chasing around her toddler son, Leo, as well."

The WNBA is down yet another one of its biggest names for a significant chunk of the 2019 season.

Maya Moore announced in February she was sitting out the entire year in order to give her body a rest after the constant grind of playing in the WNBA and overseas.

Reigning MVP Breanna Stewart ruptured her Achilles in the EuroLeague championship game and will be out of action until 2020.

And the status of Liz Cambage remains unclear. The Dallas Wings confirmed in January the Australian center requested a trade. Cambage didn't play in the WNBA from 2014 to 2017, leaving many to wonder whether she'll take another hiatus if the Wings fail to find a workable trade.

Taurasi's surgery is big because the Mercury are clear title contenders, especially since the defending champion Seattle Storm are without their best player. Phoenix pushed Seattle to five games in the 2018 semifinals.

Now, the Mercury are themselves down one of their top stars, which puts further strain on a roster that was extremely top-heavy toward the end of last year. Granted, injuries played a role, but Phoenix used just seven players in that decisive Game 5 against the Storm in the postseason. 

Despite turning 36 midway through the season, Taurasi continued to be a dynamic scorer in 2018. She averaged 20.7 points, shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three-point range. The nine-time All-Star finished third in offensive win shares (4.8) and fifth in total win shares (5.6), per Basketball Reference.

The arrival of rookies Alanna Smith and Sophie Cunningham will help soften the blow of Taurasi's absence, but head coach Sandy Brondello can only ask so much of two first-year players.

Assuming Taurasi can return at some point late in the year, the Mercury are still a playoff team. But they're likely to finish outside of the top two, which would mean the prospect of at least one single-elimination game before the semifinals.

The domestic violence case against former Phoenix Mercury assistant coach Todd Troxel reportedly has been dismissed.

According to TMZ Sports, Troxel was charged with misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor disorderly conduct in November when he was still on the Mercury staff after allegedly attacking his fiancee. He allegedly punched through a glass window and severed two of his arteries during an argument with her. She suffered a hand injury.

However, TMZ noted the case was dismissed because his fiancee has decided not to speak with police further.

Troxel was fired in January after an investigation was opened up regarding the domestic violence allegations.

"My fiancee and I are thrilled to have this situation behind us and look forward to moving on with our lives." Troxel said in a statement, per TMZ. "I cannot thank her enough for her support, love and friendship always. ... I regret getting into an argument with my fiancee the night of the incident, but I never assaulted or hurt her in any way."

He was an assistant coach with the Mercury for five seasons prior to his firing.

According to ESPN.com, the team hired an outside firm to conduct its own independent investigation before proceeding with his termination.

"We have determined that Troxel's conduct on that night was unacceptable and does not represent our values as an organization, and we cannot continue his employment," the Mercury said, per ESPN.

The Phoenix Mercury fired assistant coach Todd Troxel, the team announced Tuesday. 

"After a media report alerted us to an incident involving Troxel and his fiancee, we immediately retained an outside firm to conduct an independent investigation that included interviews with both involved parties," the Mercury said in the statement. "We have determined that Troxel's conduct on that night was unacceptable and does not represent our values as an organization, and we cannot continue his employment."

Prosecutors in Paradise Valley, Arizona, charged Troxel with misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct in December.

TMZ Sports reported he had been taken to a local hospital after allegedly punching through a glass window and severing two arteries in his arm. He told authorities he had cut his arm while putting up Christmas lights, but his fiancee said the injury happened during a fight they were having.

Lt. Michael Cole, a spokesman for the Paradise Valley Police Department, told the Arizona Republic's Jeff Metcalfe and Uriel J. Garcia that Troxel and his fiancee had gotten into an argument during an Uber ride. The disagreement "turned into a physical altercation" when the two arrived home.

Troxel was a member of the Mercury staff for the past five seasons.