Report: Skylar Diggins-Smith Trade 'Explored' by Mercury amid Friction with HC

The Phoenix Mercury have reportedly "explored" a trade involving Skylar Diggins-Smith after a recent social media exchange with first-year head coach Vanessa Nygaard.

The conflict began when Nygaard said teammate Diana Taurasi should have been named an All-Star.

"I reiterate that [Diana Taurasi] should be an All-Star," she said last week, per Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post. "There will be a game in Chicago, but it will not be an All-Star Game because Diana Taurasi’s not playing."

Diggins-Smith was named to Sunday's game and seemingly saw the comments as a slight against her. She quote tweeted a video of Nygaard's comments with a clown emoji, although the post has since been deleted.

It also comes after Taurasi and Diggins-Smith had to be separated this season:

It has been part of a rough season for the Mercury after reaching the WNBA Finals last season under head coach Sandy Brondello. The squad has struggled to a 9-14 record in 2022, featuring a seven-game losing streak in May and June.

Star center Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia on Feb. 17 and has been detained there since.

Tina Charles was expected to play a key role for the team this season, but she mutually parted ways with the squad in late June. The center later signed with the Seattle Storm.

Diggins-Smith could be the next to leave despite a productive start to the season. The guard is averaging 19.1 points, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game this year in her sixth All-Star campaign.

With the 31-year-old under contract through next season, Diggins-Smith would likely be a highly sought-after player on the trade block.