DiJonai Carrington fires humbling shot at Wings after first Lynx game

DiJonai Carrington played her first game with her new team since being traded just days ago from the Dallas Wings. After an impressive debut, she spoke to the media and had some interesting comments that can only be taken one way: as a shot at her old team. Carrington's time in the D was unsuccessful to say the least, and those circumstances clearly affected her.

"This was one of the first times I've had fun playing basketball this season." - Carrington

That's a direct shot across the bow at the Wings and their head coach, Chris Koclanes. Carrington often seemed to be at odds with the first-year coach, and it was easy to see her dislike for him as it was written all over her face during many of their interactions.

Coach Koclanes and DiJonai didn't seem to get along

I wouldn't dare speak for Coach Koclanes, but he didn't seem like he cared to keep her on the roster when asked about the trade rumors days before the transaction with the Lynx was announced. A relationship that should have been strong, considering her defensive abilities and his background on that side of the floor, deteriorated, and everyone knew it.

When Carrington was asked about Koclanes at the beginning of May, she emphasized how good of a person he is. She made sure to talk about how he treats his players like people first, and it felt refreshing to hear, as she sounded genuine in her praise of him. But once the games started, everything changed.

It's not like Nai didn't have good games in a Wings uniform. She did. But they often didn't translate to wins, through no fault of her own. This was a hastily put-together team with rookies playing a significant role, and when you throw in a leader who's never been a head coach before, there is potential for chaos.

Even her statement about what she likes about the Lynx can be seen as a shot at the playstyle that Dallas has been deploying this season. "Just the way that we play on offense and defense, and I love team basketball. It's not one person trying to ISO or two people. It's really whoever's open, whoever has the open shot."

Now, here's where you question if that's a shot at Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers or if it's another shot at the coaching staff for implementing that style of play. It's no secret that Arike has thrived on ISO-ball throughout her career. It's what's made her special and a multi-time all-star. Paige is another special ball-handler, so it's made sense to give her those opportunities as well, but there is a cost to that style.

Other players may not love standing in the corner or just rotating around the perimeter, hoping the ball comes their way, so they can play too. However, since the trade, Carrington has doubled down on her affection for the Wings' rookie, so it's more likely that it's just another pop shot at the decision-making of the coaching staff.

Those decision-makers put her on the bench for rookie JJ Quinerly when one of the team's biggest issues was defense. To be fair, there have been a lot of issues on that team, including starting slow on offense, so addressing that was likely the intention when that move was made, but that doesn't mean that everyone was going to like it.

The Wings made several missteps when they cobbled that roster together in the offseason, and they made more during the year, but it's time for a new chapter for both parties. Carrington went from a bottom-feeding team to one on the cusp of a championship. Meanwhile, Dallas gets to reset and build around Bueckers with more patience. It's truly a win-win at this point.