Liberty vs Mercury: Why Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally are not playing tonight?

The New York Liberty entered Wednesday night needing stability more than anything else, but instead, they arrived at another important game shorthanded. The Liberty will face the Phoenix Mercury without star guard Sabrina Ionescu, whose injury situation has quickly become a growing concern after another setback. The concern extends beyond Ionescu. Forward Satou Sabally is also dealing with an illness that forced her out of Monday’s loss in the first quarter. With multiple rotation players listed on the injury report, including Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Marine Fauthoux, the Liberty suddenly look thin in areas where they usually rely on depth and versatility. Wednesday’s matchup was already important. The injury report made it even more significant.Ionescu was initially listed as questionable before the Liberty officially ruled her out because of back soreness and general discomfort. The development caught attention quickly because her recent absence against the Portland Fire had largely been tied to injury management and a lingering foot issue that delayed her season debut.The back injury now adds another layer to an already frustrating start to her 2026 campaign.Ionescu only recently returned against the Dallas Wings on May 24, finishing with 11 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. She looked slightly out of rhythm, which was understandable after missing the first five games of the season. Since then, the Liberty have been careful with her workload, especially after completing a back-to-back earlier this week.The organization is still hopeful this will remain a short-term issue. She is currently considered day-to-day and could return for Friday’s rematch against Phoenix.Sabally’s situation appears less serious, though her illness created another unexpected problem for New York. Losing both players at the same time strips the Liberty of scoring, ball movement, and defensive versatility. That pressure now shifts to the rest of the roster as the team searches for answers during a difficult stretch.The Liberty are now at 3-4, but the energy around the team has changed quickly. Injuries have disrupted continuity, and the offense has struggled to find consistency without its primary creators fully healthy.Even so, Ionescu’s importance remains obvious. Last season, the four-time All-Star averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 38 starts while helping New York capture the 2024 WNBA championship. Her absence leaves a major gap that cannot easily be replaced by the committee.The Liberty will try to avoid extending their losing streak against a Mercury team capable of capitalizing on short-handed opponents. For New York, the bigger focus may simply be getting healthy again before the season slips further away.