Dallas Wings Rest Paige Bueckers vs. Las Vegas Aces as Part of Long-Term Workload Plan

The Dallas Wings ruled out Paige Bueckers for rest in Sunday’s matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. This marks the first time this season that the rookie guard will officially miss a game as part of a formal load management plan.

Bueckers logged 37 minutes in Friday’s 86–76 loss to the Valkyries, finishing with 17 points, six assists, and four steals. Over 20 games this season, she’s averaged 18.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.8 steals while playing 34.6 minutes per game—among the highest workloads in the WNBA.

Koclanes emphasized that the decision to sit Bueckers was based on proactive planning. With the Wings navigating one of their most loaded stretches of the season, he made it clear that the team prioritizes long-term health over short-term availability.

“You see it a lot—load management,” Koclanes said. “It’s extremely precautionary, especially with these rookies coming off the long college season. You just want to be smart. So we’re being extremely cautious and doing everything we can to make sure we’re putting everybody in positions to be healthy. It’s all about health and safety first and foremost.”

Dallas is coming off traveling back from San Francisco for a game that capped off Friday’s WNBA slate. It has just one day off before playing on Sunday afternoon. Then, it will play a Monday night matchup against the New York Liberty to wrap up a back-to-back. Dallas will then host the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday, followed by the Indiana Fever at American Airlines Center on Friday.

“It’s just an insane stretch we’re in right now—five in eight, four in six, six in 11,” Koclanes said ahead of the game. “She played a ton of minutes at Golden State. So, yeah, talking with the medical team and front office, we’re just trying to be smart and really cautious.”

Dallas Wings Rotate Nine, Emphasize Balance

With Bueckers sidelined, the Wings decided to deploy a reshuffled starting lineup featuring JJ Quinerly, Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, Luisa Geiselsöder, and Li Yueru. Without Bueckers, the team has done throughout the season, Dallas is embracing a “next woman up” mentality.

“Next woman up mentality again, right? Paige is out, so next woman up,” Koclanes said. “We need four quarters. That’s what we’re looking for—four quarters of consistency.”

Haley Jones is expected to take on a larger playmaking role, possibly toggling between the one and four spots depending on matchups. Grace Berger, recently brought back on a seven-day contract, will see additional minutes as a steady backcourt presence. Aziaha James, who added scoring punch against Golden State, is also expected to maintain her aggressive mindset off the bench.

Defensive Focus Against A’ja Wilson and Company

Saturday’s matchup marks the third meeting between the Wings and Aces this season. Las Vegas escaped with narrow wins in the previous two contests, including a 90–86 result on July 16 when A’ja Wilson erupted for 37 points.

Koclanes said defending the league’s top scorer remains a priority, but it won’t be the only one.

“We talk about the fourth quarter—letting that one slip away here, then dug ourselves a huge hole last time and showed our resiliency, but came up short,” Koclanes said. “So today, we need four quarters. That’s what we’re looking for—four quarters of consistency.”

The Wings continue to emphasize smarter offensive decisions, with Koclanes praising recent improvements in shot quality and stressing the importance of converting at the rim.

“You demand it of them,” Koclanes said. “At the end of the day, we’re pros—we’ve got to go finish around the rim.”

Dallas will return to action Monday when it hosts the Atlanta Dream.