Lynx receive A- grade for DiJonai Carrington trade

The Lynx acquired the WNBA's 2024 Most Improved player, DiJonai Carrington, on Sunday in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round pick. ESPN's Kevin Pelton gave Minnesota an A- grade for the deal.

"Even if Carrington is strictly a reserve for the Lynx, she fills a need. After newly acquired Samuelson suffered a foot injury that required season-ending surgery, Cheryl Reeve's rotation was short a player she trusts," Pelton wrote. "Minnesota boasts two of the WNBA's top reserves in Natisha Hiedeman and Jessica Shepard, but there's a positional gap in between the 5-foot-8 Hiedeman and the 6-foo5-4 Shepard."

Carrington was a member of the 2024 All-Defensive team with the Connecticut Sun. She took a slight step back with the Dallas Wings this season, seeing her scoring drop from 12.7 to 10.4 points per game.

She is averaging nearly five minutes less per game than she played last season, but she's 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. At 5-foot-11, Carrington is still viewed as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.

Pelton points out that Minnesota could cruise to the top overall seed this postseason, as it currently has a 5.5-game lead over the Liberty. Acquiring Carrington is a move that improves their postseason flexibility against a roster like New York.

Miller struggled to reach her full potential in Minnesota. Samuelson has been out since June 29 with an injury, and she's an impending free agent; therefore, this trade provided minimal risk for Minnesota long-term.

Pelton still gave Dallas a B-grade for the trade, and it truly seems like a win-win situation for both teams. The Wings are far from a contender, and they were able to acquire some young assets, while the Lynx beefed up their backcourt for another postseason run.