The Dallas Wings are using training camp to lay the foundation for a new era under head coach Chris Koclanes. As this process continues, they regained a key member of their backcourt on Monday.
Tyasha Harris returned to full-contact practice, significantly boosting the Wings' backcourt during a pivotal stretch of training camp, DallasHoopsJournal.com reported.
Harris had been sidelined with a left knee injury throughout training camp, causing her to miss Friday's preseason loss against the Las Vegas Aces in South Bend.
“She sure did [practice],” Koclanes said. “Yep. She’s in there mixing it up — easing her back in, but it was full contact. She went live against our shells and against the guys, and she responded well.”
Harris is expected to play a key role in the Wings' backcourt rotation, managing the offense and setting the tone for a team undergoing significant changes under Koclanes. Last season, she averaged 10.5 points and 3.0 assists across 39 games.
Koclanes praised Harris for her high basketball IQ and ability to impact the team on and off the ball. While the starting backcourt is set to include Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale, Harris can provide helpful guard depth behind them.
“She’s incredible,” Koclanes said. “She’s been great on the sidelines — super high IQ — so you wouldn’t have noticed that she hasn’t practiced with us yet because she’s just that smart of a player. She brings a calming presence to everybody.”
While recovering, Harris remained a vocal leader, and teammates said her transition back to live action was seamless. NaLyssa Smith echoed the praise, emphasizing how natural Harris looked in practice.
“She’s just that smart of a player and can absorb things,” Smith said. “You wouldn’t have noticed she hadn’t practiced with us yet.”
The Wings continue training camp this week before their final preseason game on May 10 against the Toyota Antelopes.
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Paige Bueckers showed once again why the Dallas Wings' future is bright with a 92-82 win over the New York Liberty on Monday evening. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft tied with teammate Arike Ogunbowale for a game-high 20 points, shooting 7-of-12, including 2-of-4 on three-point attempts. Bueckers added six rebounds, four assists and three steals in the Wings' first win against the Liberty since July 19, 2023. The former UConn guard set the tone early, scoring the game's first basket on a jumper from the free throw line. In the second quarter, Bueckers showcased her phenomenal handles while guarded by forward Stephanie Talbot, getting enough separation before drilling another long jumper. Bueckers has 10 20-point games this season, which ranks 19th in WNBA history among rookies, despite missing seven games due to injury. The Wings (8-19) have the league's third-worst record, but Buecker's sensational debut season has made the tough parts worth it. The likely Rookie of the Year is averaging 18.2 points, 5.5 assists, four rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. With several of the team's players, including Ogunbowale, set to become unrestricted free agents following the season, it's anyone's guess what the Wings will look like next season. But with Bueckers under contract through 2027, Dallas might not toil near the bottom of the league for long. While the league hasn't revealed how lottery odds will be determined with five teams eligible to get the No. 1 pick in 2026, the Wings should have the best chance of getting next year's top pick, giving the franchise an opportunity to add another top prospect next to Bueckers. Monday's win over the Liberty (17-8) gave the league a glimpse of the type of future the Wings can have. Based on how quickly Bueckers has ingratiated herself, it might not be long before the future becomes the present.
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers spent the bulk of the spring as an unsigned free agent and, thus, only began officially practicing with Pittsburgh Steelers teammates during the team's three-day mandatory minicamp in June. During a Monday appearance on Pittsburgh radio station 102.5 WDVE, Steelers reporter Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette addressed how Rodgers looked during his first few training camp practices with the club. "His release is just astonishing to watch," Dulac said about Rodgers, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "Everybody knows about it, and when you see it in person, you see it every day in practice, you just marvel at it. To me, he's the greatest thrower of the football I have ever seen, even at 41 (years old). That flick of that wrist and that ball comes out, it's moving and it is something to see." Rodgers was with the New York Jets when he suffered a torn Achilles four offensive snaps into the 2023 regular-season opener. He was then slowed by a nagging hip issue, injuries to both his knees, a low ankle sprain and a serious hamstring problem as the 2024 Jets went 5-12. According to Pro Football Reference, Rodgers finished last season ranked 28th in the NFL among qualified players with a 48.0 adjusted QBR and 26th with a 43.9 percent passing success rate. That said, he was also eighth with 3,897 passing yards and tied for seventh with 28 passing touchdowns. Rodgers and Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson endured some struggles during training camp sessions last summer before the two allegedly "never saw eye-to-eye" during the season. It sounds like Pittsburgh fans should be encouraged by how Rodgers performed in recent practices. "That guy can get rid of the ball as quick as anybody," Dulac added. "He made three throws in seven-on-seven (drills) the other day that the cumulative total I bet couldn't have exceeded 2.1 seconds. And two of those were for touchdowns." Rodgers wants to finish his career "the right way" and help the Steelers notch at least their first playoff win since January 2017. As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Pittsburgh at -150 betting odds to miss the playoffs for the upcoming season.
The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired one of baseball's premier relievers to bolster their bullpen. In a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto is adding Seranthony Dominguez to its pitching staff, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. While the move solidifies the Blue Jays' status as buyers, it's the timing of the transaction that stands out. The Orioles finished a 16-4 walloping of the Blue Jays just hours before the deal went down, and while it's not unheard of to see a player traded to a franchise his former team is visiting, the fact that the two teams will face off again Tuesday night at 6:35 PM EST makes this a truly unique swap. Dominguez may not suit up in his first official contest as a Blue Jay, but he will be switching clubhouses before the second half of the team's doubleheader. It won't take long for the veteran reliever to make an impact, either, as bullpen production has stood out for a Toronto team that has been dominating in most aspects of the game. In 43 appearances with the Orioles this season, Dominguez has posted a respectable 3.24 ERA over 41.2 innings. He hasn't quite returned to the impressive form he was in with the Phillies from 2018 to 2022, but the value is obvious for a team hoping to capture its third World Series in franchise history. The rebuilding Orioles acquired right-handed pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown, who was ranked as Toronto's 10th-best prospect in the latest MLB Pipeline team Top 30 Prospects list. The 23-year-old has gone 2-5 over 19 starts across High-A and Double-A this year, posting a combined 3.54 ERA while striking out 115 over 89 innings. As two teams heading in vastly different directions this season, it's a sensible move for both sides. Dominguez is an unrestricted free agent after this season, making him a rental for Toronto down the stretch. If Watts-Brown continues to show promise, though, the trade could ultimately be deemed a win for Baltimore.
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