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WNBA Team Urged to Trade Star to Clear Path for Paige Bueckers
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WNBA Team Urged to Trade Star to Clear Path for Paige Bueckers

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton  |  Last updated Aug 3, 2025 2:33 PM ET

On Sunday morning, the Dallas Wings sent guard DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round draft pick. To finalize the deal, Dallas also waived center Teaira McCowan.

With the 2025 WNBA trade deadline set for 3 p.m. ET Thursday, that transaction marked the second major overhaul for the Wings this season. Dallas flipped NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces for a 2027 first-round pick on June 30.

Meanwhile, rookie Paige Bueckers continues to establish herself as the face of the franchise, averaging 18.5 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 34.1% from deep.

Yet, with the team holding the third-worst record in the league (8-21), this rebuilding project has been anything but smooth.

Shortly after the Carrington trade was announced, local reporter Kevin Gray Jr. publicly urged Dallas to trade veteran star Arike Ogunbowale, now on an expiring contract, in order to amass assets and accelerate the youth movement centered around Bueckers.

Arike Ogunbowale: From Rising Star to Season Slump

Since entering the league as the fifth overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft, Arike Ogunbowale has built a resume that few Wings in league history can match:

  • 4× WNBA All-Star (2021–2024)
  • 2× WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2021, 2024)
  • All-WNBA First Team (2020) and 2× Second Team (2021, 2024)
  • WNBA scoring champion (2020)
  • WNBA steals leader (2024)
  • NCAA champion and Most Outstanding Player of the 2018 Women's Final Four at Notre Dame

Despite those peaks, Ogunbowale’s numbers have dipped significantly in 2025. Through the first 26 games, she posted career lows in nearly every major scoring and efficiency metric:

  • 15.7 points per game (previous low: 18.7 in 2021)
  • 2.4 rebounds per game (previous low: 2.4 in 2019)
  • 36.6% field-goal shooting (previous low: 38.3% in 2024)
  • 31.5% 3-point shooting (previous low: 33.6% in 2020)
  • 14.1 field-goal attempts per game, lowest usage rate in WNBA career.

Her season line of 33.2 minutes, 15.7 points, 4.3 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals reflects a rapid fall from her All-WNBA form of just one year ago.

Ogunbowale has had flashes this season, including seven 20-point games and a 37-point, seven-assist, five-rebound outing on May 29, but inconsistency has been an issue.

Are the Dallas Wings Actually Going to Trade Arike Ogunbowale?

It seems crazy to think that Ogunbowale, who just last year was the face of the franchise, could be on the move. However, general manager Curt Miller has openly stated that the Wings’ primary focus is rebuilding around Bueckers, even as he maintains confidence in veteran role players.

After the Smith trade on June 30, Miller said that while the team hopes to remain competitive now, "there's always an eye on the future."

Trading Ogunbowale, an expiring-contract star with dwindling numbers, could net first- or second-round draft picks at a time when the Wings possess the league’s worst two-year record (17–52) and the best lottery odds for 2026, per Tankathon.

With the deadline approaching, potential suitors could include contenders seeking a boost in scoring and playmaking ahead of the playoffs, such as the Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Golden State Valkyries.

Ogunbowale’s four All-Star nods still make her an attractive mid-season addition despite recent struggles.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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