The Indiana Fever managed to make it all the way into the second round of playoffs this season, a reality that surprised a lot of people (including other WNBA teams). NaLyssa Smith, who played for the team before she was traded to the Dallas Wings, didn't exactly depart on the best terms — but she had nothing but high praise for her former team while being interviewed on the October 23 episode of the "Between the Lines" podcast.
Smith said the Fever were the "most challenging" team that the Aces ran into in the playoffs, mostly because the team "played with nothing to lose." As she also said, the season was "abnormal" and filled with injuries, which meant the Fever were able to come into the playoffs and play as if there were no stakes.
At one point, Smith was supposed to be a huge part of the Fever's future and was expected to help the team continue its rise through the WNBA rankings since she was drafted as the No. 2 overall pick in 2022. Smith, who graduated from Baylor, lived up to that hype. She averaged 15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 2023, but failed to truly find a rhythm with Caitlin Clark once the Hawkeyes graduate was drafted onto the team in 2024.
Smith managed 10.6 points per game in 2024, the lowest of her career. She also struggled to find a role she could consistently fill on the team, which was due in part to the way the Fever's offensive plays changed once Clark was on the team and dominating in the way that fans have come to expect.
On top of that, Smith had expressed frustration with Indiana and the team — so much so that fans sometimes struggled to connect with her (and vice-versa). It was clear that there was a mismatch, and one that needed to be addressed.
So when Smith was traded to the Dallas Wings as part of a major deal that also involved the Phoenix Mercury, many weren't especially surprised. That trade also brought Sophie Cunningham to Indiana, which turned out to be an excellent fit. But Smith didn't exactly thrive in Dallas (though she was far from the only excellent player to languish in the Wings' system, and the team ultimately fired coach Chris Koclanes at the end of the 2025 season).
Smith was once again traded to the Aces, which turned out to be exactly where she needed to be — and may have been a move that allowed her the mental clarity to reflect on her former team with grace.