As the WNBA’s burst of offseason activity is about to begin, few teams will be under as much scrutiny as the Dallas Wings.
That’s what happens when underperformance, opportunity and unknowns intersect.
Last season, the Wings tied for the worst-record in the league. And yet, a stellar Rookie of the Year-winning season from Paige Bueckers promises the possibility of better days. New head coach Jose Fernandez, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft and key free agency decisions will determine if better days,
in fact, dawn in Dallas.
Here’s more on the three biggest decision facing Dallas. And Wings fans, don’t hesitate to share your hopes, fears, wishes and worries in the comments.
1. With the No. 1 pick, will Dallas go with Fam or Fudd, or make another Betts?
The No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft is both a blessing and burden.
With a second-straight top selection, the Wings have the opportunity to follow the model of the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever, two franchises that used consecutive No. 1 picks to accelerate their rise up the league ranks.
That’s the blessing. The pressure to make the right pick, especially for a franchise that has a track record of fumbling picks, failing to develop players and fraying relationships with stars, is the burden.
The blessing-burden dichotomy is further heightened because, unlike Bueckers last year, or when the Fever selected Aliyah Boston in 2023 and Caitlin Clark in 2024, there’s no consensus No. 1 pick.
In contrast, less than one week before the draft, who should go No. 1 might be cloudier than ever.
Throughout this draft cycle, Awa Fam and Azzi Fudd have been widely considered the contenders to go No. 1 overall. Our Eric Nemchock, like many public evaluators, has Fam, the 6-foot-6 Spanish 19 year old, projected as the top prospect, with Bueckers’ college teammate, UConn fifth-year senior sharpshooter Azzi Fudd, attracting buzz as the alternative.
Or, should the Wings make another bet? This time last year, many assumed Lauren Betts would hear her name called first in 2026. Due to the declining value of traditional bigs in a modernizing WNBA, her stock dipped during her senior season. Yet, a fantastic NCAA Tournament, which culminated in a national championship, seems to have re-boosted Betts’ stock, encouraging an appreciation for her strengths over quibbles about her limitations.
Who should be the decision for Dallas? Are you intrigued by Awa? Is Azzi the only answer? Or, is Betts the best bet?
2. Are the Wings all in on retaining Arike Ogunbowale?
On the free agency front, the future of Arike Ogunbowale is Dallas’ biggest decision.
The offensive talent of peak Arike is undeniable. With a deep bag of dribble moves, speed, shiftiness and a lightning-quick shot release, Ogunbowale is one of the game’s most talented scorers.
Yet, she’s coming off the worst statistical season of her career, playing only 29 games due to knee tendonitis troubles. This will also be her age 29 season, making it fair to wonder if the combination of age and injury could prevent Ogunbowale from being at her best as often as needed.
If that’s the case, is it smart to for Dallas to sign her to a big deal? Or, even sign her at all?
The team’s internal contract preferences for Ogunbowale, compared to her own expectations, could solve this conundrum; Arike, rightfully, should get the biggest bag she can from whatever team is willing to make the offer.
It’s questionable if the Wings should be that team, since every decision Dallas makes should prioritize building a longterm contender around Bueckers. Due to the new player salary and salary cap realities of the WNBA, teams risk doom themselves by signing a player who is declining, unavailable or a poor fit to a rich, multi-year deal.
Arike could be the perfect ceiling raiser to pair with Paige, thriving as an off-the-ball scoring threat as she did for Mist during their title-winning Unrivaled season. Or, Ogunbowale’s WNBA present and future could resemble her 2025 season, which would make re-signing her a disaster for Dallas.
How should the Wings navigate this tough decision? Do you want to see Arike back with the Wings? Do you like her fit better with another team? If not Arike, what free agents should the Wings look to add?
3. Can the Wings create more roster-building flexibility?
The Wings actually enter WNBA free agency with the least amount of salary cap space of any team.
That seems crazy for a team that finished 2025 tied for the worst record in the league. Yet, Dallas, in contrast to contenders stocked with veterans who are unrestricted free agents, have multiple players still on rookie-contracts on their roster.
Three players—Bueckers, Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly—are on unprotected deals, meaning the Wings could extinguish their salaries by cutting them. That’s not going to happen with Bueckers, and it also would be insane to cut James. Quinerly could be sacrificed to create extra funds.
The bigger salary roadblock, however, is Diamond Miller’s $536,588. Dallas acquired Miller in the midseason trade that sent DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx had already guaranteed Miller’s fourth-year option. At the time, Miller’s guaranteed money probably wasn’t a major factor in the trade negotiation. But, as the new CBA adjusted rookie-scale contracts, Miller, as the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, was blessed with a significant salary increase. She’s making almost double the league minimum!
Miller’s on-court play hasn’t approached such value, especially in a Dallas uniform. While she flashed promise early in her Minnesota tenure, injuries derailed her opportunities with the Lynx. On a Dallas team desperate for talent, Miller rarely resembled the best version of herself.
Whether Dallas is looking to contstrcut a roster to win now or begin a build with a longer window toward true winning, Miller’s inhibits the Wings’ optionality.
Would another team be willing to take a flier on Miller? (Yes, a call should be placed to Chicago). Would the Wings be willing to attach assets in a trade? Or, should she get a chance to right her career under Fernandez?
