DiJonai Carrington Trade Stamps Disastrous Offseason for Wings

Dallas Wings Must Pivot After Aggressive Offseason Fails

Between Harris' season-ending injury and Dallas' subsequent trades, only one player from a highly anticipated offseason remains on the active roster, veteran forward Myisha Hines-Allen.

With Hines-Allen set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's close and Dallas 6.5 games out of a playoff spot, it's very possible the 29-year-old may also get moved before the WNBA's August 7 trade deadline.

Back in March, Miller referred to his four veteran additions as a "momentum-building moment". Five months later, that very same offseason looks to be nothing short of a disaster.

Fortunately for Dallas, it need not have long-term ramifications. Most major WNBA veterans are set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, strategically designed to coincide with a new collective bargaining agreement that will take effect next season.

Dallas, along with every other team in the league, will have the opportunity to completely change the direction of their franchise in a single offseason. In the meantime, it's wise for the Wings to focus their efforts on molding a young core.

Based on the return for Carrington, that may in fact be the modus operandi.

The Lynx sent Karlie Samuelson, Diamond Miller, and a 2027 second-round pick in exchange for the 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year.

The 30-year-old Samuelson is little more than a cap casualty so that Minnesota can take on Carrington's $200,000 salary, but Miller is a very intriguing project for Dallas to explore.

The No. 2 overall pick out of Maryland in 2023, Miller averaged 12.1 PPG on 26.1 minutes in a promising rookie campaign with the Lynx. However, the former top prospect faded into the background as Minnesota quickly ascended to a championship contender.

In her third WNBA season, Miller's production has dwindled to 4.1 PPG in 25 contests with the Lynx, seeing less than 10 minutes per game.

But now she'll go from being the 10th player off the bench on a loaded Minnesota roster to joining a Wings squad that should be eager to develop young talent.

Miller is under control through 2026 and, if she recaptures her early success, could become part of a young core that already features Bueckers and Maddie Siegrist.

Plus, with the third-worst record in the league at 8-21, Dallas is well-positioned to land another high lottery pick in a 2026 draft class that will feature UCLA's Lauren Betts, UConn's Azzi Fudd, and LSU's Flau'jae Johnson.

In the meantime, Arike Ogunbowale and Bueckers will be thrust into an even larger role offensively with Carrington departing. The favorite for Rookie of the Year, Bueckers has already proven she belongs in the WNBA, and while this season's chaos doesn't yield ideal conditions for an inaugural campaign, she may benefit from one less chef in a crowded backcourt.

Optimism aside, it's clear Curt Miller's first offseason as GM didn't go according to plan. And with another monumental offseason looming this winter, he can't afford to strike out again.