The Dallas Wings are bottoming out in the WNBA standings, but they are hoping to work their way up from the doldrums of the league.
With the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals, they are showing the blueprint for what's needed to get to the top of the league. Here are three things the Wings need to do to get back on track.
The Wings are in need of a new head coach after firing Chris Koclanes at the end of September. The team will work with its third head coach in as many years and it could be vaulted back into the playoff conversation with the right hire.
The Aces have Becky Hammon, who is one of the most respected figures in WNBA history, while the Mercury are led by Nate Tibbetts, a former NBA assistant that has built a positive culture that translates to the W.
The Wings could go either route, hiring a respected coach like Sandy Brondello or going through the NBA to try and get someone who can truly reset the program.
The Wings have their lead guard in Paige Bueckers, but they are going to need more if they want to reach the WNBA Finals.
This likely leads the Wings towards finding a player who could create a strong pick-and-roll combination with Bueckers.
The Wings could go and get their star in the WNBA Draft with another high pick this season, like UCLA center Lauren Betts, or they could make a splash by trading for a disgruntled star like Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
Luckily for the Wings, they have the hardest part of their rebuild behind them. They have their star in Bueckers that can lead them to victory.
The team needs more, but Bueckers is the north star. The front office's decisions will be made with Bueckers in mind to give her the best chance to lead the team to victory.
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