After the horrendous season that was 2024 for the Dallas Wings, Curt Miller chose to focus on the brighter things they had at hand. The 9-31 may have been staring in bold, but all he could see was the new practice facility in plans, an arena undergoing renovation, and the No.1 pick to put to good use– it was time for the Wings. So he assured Chris Koclanes he’d put together a roster he’d love to coach and worthy of the change on the horizon. Months in, Miller had somewhat ticked the box. But the way he did it? Yeah, that could even hinder the rosy picture he has been vying for his team.

After the Wings’ win over the Toyota Antelopes at home, the GM unwrapped the team’s reality surrounding the trade deals and player acquisition. Piece by piece.

“Tyasha Harris was a non-negotiable and had to be a part of the deal. We knew if we could get NaLysaa Smith in a trade, that even more could get Dijonai Carrington through free agency too. So, it all worked out. But a lot of work went into that night,” Miller revealed during a post-game interview. No, that revelation did not sit right.

Pointing out the team’s tactic of luring Smith into the roster in hopes that Carrington follows, national analyst Rachel DeMita strongly objected to what Miller expressed. “When I first saw this clip, my jaw dropped because I could not believe somebody in the front office at the Dallas Wings is essentially admitting they wanted NaLysaa Smith on the team in order to get her girlfriend DJ Carrington. You just don’t do that. If you’re in a front office, you don’t do that even if that was the reason.”

With so much to look forward to in 2025, the Dallas Wings went clean house during the free agency– only 4 players remained of their last year’s roster. Miller & Co. went all in, acquiring 4 new faces in the 4-team trade. It involved DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, NaLyssa Smith, and the reserved rights of Mikiah Herbert Harrigan. But you know whose name is making the rounds.

It was already considered unusual to bring in Smith during the trade, but fans had come to make peace– the team was building around Arike Ogunbowale, and the two could make a dynamic duo. During the acquisition, Miller had even made clear he was impressed with the former Fever star’s consistency in scoring in double figures while being dominant on the boards. While chemistry can still be established and pick-and-rolls still developed upon, DeMita cannot help but think about how the revelation could affect the player.

Giving Miller a reality check, she said, “You’re gonna cause locker room issues. You’re going to cause confidence issues in your players by saying things like that. But that kind of unfortunately seems like the theme in Dallas.”

Smith is already coming off one of her poorer seasons in the league, averaging 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1 assist. She also saw limited minutes and then little to nothing during the playoffs. The Wings is a fresh start the forward is looking forward to, and Miller’s comments aren’t exactly easing it out.

With an insecure roster where players turn might against each other, the Wings’ have apparently clipped their own wings with that statement, or have they really? The dynamics will probably come to light once the regular season begins. For now, though, their hope for the now and the future, Paige Bueckers seems to be gelling well and Ogunbowale is optimistic about time making the bonds stronger.