The Wings were incredibly lucky when they won the lottery and the number one pick in a draft featuring Paige Bueckers. Bueckers is expected to have a similar impact on the WNBA and her first team in the league as Caitlin Clark had on the Indiana Fever. Just one year after drafting Clark, the Fever have become an attractive free-agency destination and a championship contender. There are similar expectations for whichever team lands Paige Bueckers.
The Wings could not hold on to that excitement for long, though. Soon after the lottery, rumors surfaced that Bueckers did not want to play for the Wings. With the draft drawing closer, the rumors just won’t die. They are so persistent that Wings GM Curt Miller even spoke out about them, saying that the organization had not heard anything from Bueckers directly.
For now, Bueckers is focused on her final college season, and the Wings have no other choice but to wait and see. Bueckers avoiding the Wings could have catastrophic repercussions for the team, though. It is not a good look if a star player desperately does not want to play for an organization, especially if that organization already lost two of its three best players in free agency.
Curt Miller indirectly addressed the rumors about Bueckers
The Dallas Wings just held their introductory press conference for DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Ty Harris, and Myisha Hines-Allen. During the press conference, the conversation turned to why players wanted to come to Dallas and which players the organization was looking for.
Miller stated that the organization had wanted to add younger players in the prime of their careers they could convince to re-sign and build around once the new CBA is in place.
“We’re committed to creating a tremendous player environment,” Miller said. “They are going to see a shovel in the ground in the season on our state-of-the-art practice facility with a renovated arena coming. So, you know, all that momentum to have a great year and build the desire to want to be back here and do something in Dallas, and I’ll remind you, the fourth largest media market in the United States. It’s a great place. Loud and clear for all the people on the Zoom: it’s a great place for all players to want to come.”
The latter part of the quote was seemingly directed at Howard Megdal, who was on Zoom and had recently reported that Paige Bueckers’ future in the WNBA was still uncertain. He acknowledged that Bueckers already stated that she would not return to college but also suggested that she had several other options to avoid playing for the Dallas Wings in the 2025 season.
Miller obviously wanted to outline the other side and offer reasons why Bueckers should want to join the Wings.
The Wings may have lost two talented players this offseason—Natasha Howard signed with the Indiana Fever, and Satou Sabally is now a member of the Phoenix Mercury—but also still have interesting pieces. Arike Ogunbowale is one of the best scorers in the game. DiJonai Carrington gives the Wings a lockdown defender. Ty Harris adds great 3-point shooting and point guard play to the mix. Myisha Hines-Allen is a championship veteran, and NaLyssa Smith has plenty of potential.
Adding Paige Bueckers to the mix would make that group even more interesting and give the Wings a young star to build around alongside Ogunbowale.