When DiJonai Carrington arrived in Dallas, it felt like the start of something promising. She brought veteran presence, fire on defense, and that signature all-around hustle. Through the ups and downs, she remained one of the Wings’ most reliable pieces—averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals. A true two-way threat, Carrington quietly became their third-best scorer and rebounder. On paper, she was exactly what this young team needed. But in basketball, things don’t always play out the way you expect.

The Dallas Wings never really bounced back after that brutal 1-9 start—and it’s been downhill since. Head coach Chris Koclanes didn’t sugarcoat it either: “You have to win games. We have to sit in this, and it’s not going to feel good.” Management clearly felt the pressure too, pulling the plug on one of their top offseason signings, DiJonai Carrington. But despite all the mess, Carrington kept it classy—she said her goodbye and moved on. No drama, just love.

The Minnesota Lynx just made a splash, trading for DiJonai Carrington from the Dallas Wings in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson, and a 2027 second-round pick. But it wasn’t just the trade that grabbed attention—it was Carrington’s emotional goodbye on X. She wrote, “Thank youuuu sm, Dallas fans and my teammates🥹💙 i love yall & jus know I always felt the love from you guys despite everything else. Minnyyyy fans 👀 yk what time it issss tho. locked in, 🎧TMUUUU💺💚🙌🏽” Whatever was going on, she made it clear that the fans and her teammates always showed up for her. But looking into what really went down also becomes important.

For Carrington, her time in Dallas didn’t unfold the way she’d hoped. She came in chasing growth and a bigger role, but ended up navigating tough emotions instead. “It’s definitely an adjustment,” Carrington admitted. “It was hard for me just being that the whole point of me coming to Dallas was to expand my role. So, I feel like, not that coming off the bench means it’s diminished, but sort of in a sense, a little bit.” That honesty hit hard. She wanted more. Not just minutes—but purpose, value, and leadership. And when that didn’t align, the frustration was real.

Even as she fought her way back into the starting five, it was clear something still didn’t sit right. “The value of what I can bring is not gonna be determined by a coach, by a lineup… by how many points I score,” she said. It wasn’t about ego—it was about expectations. Dallas had pitched her something that didn’t quite pan out. And with the trade deadline approaching, her name quietly started surfacing in rumors. That shift—from being a key signing to potential trade piece—spoke volumes.

Then came the noise from fans. Clips of her physical play started doing rounds online. Some called her reckless, others went straight for harsh labels. “Bruh she literally almost ripped her head off,” one fan wrote after the Sarah Ashlee Barker incident. “Idc what anyone says she’s a dirty player. @WNBA do something to protect your players!!!” another demanded. Carrington, though, stood her ground: “Yall fans swear I’m such a dirty player… I’m SO over this narrative bc if u really know bball, u know I just play hard asf & never give up on a play.” She added, “I’m ALWAYS tryna make a play on the ball, nun more, nun less.” Still, the trolling didn’t slow down—and neither did the trade chatter.

Carrington’s defense could be the Lynx’s secret weapon

Let’s be real—Minnesota didn’t need to shake things up. They’re 24-5, have the best record in the league, and just beat the Aces by 53. But head coach Cheryl Reeve saw an opportunity to upgrade and didn’t hesitate, especially with Karlie Samuelson out for the season and Napheesa Collier spraining her ankle in that blowout win. Enter DiJonai Carrington, a 2024 All-Defensive First Team pick who finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Her defense has never been in question. And now, she joins a team that already ranks first in defensive rating (95.1), offensive rating (110.1), and net rating (plus-15.0).

Carrington’s role in Minnesota will be a bit different than what she had in Dallas. She’ll likely come off the bench—where she’s historically thrived—or start in place of Bridget Carleton, who’s shooting 35.9% from three this season (down from 44.4% last year). With All-Stars like Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, and Collier already starting, Carrington won’t need to carry the scoring load. Instead, she’s expected to bring energy, hustle, and defensive intensity. She’s also reuniting with Natisha Hiedeman, her old Sun teammate, and joining a system that values defense and versatility. As Reeve looks to strengthen her rotation for a deep playoff run, Carrington gives them another reliable option to guard elite perimeter players.

But here’s the concern—offense. Carrington has struggled this season with the ball. She’s made just 26% of her 3-point attempts and is a career 28.1% shooter from deep. Her playmaking numbers don’t help either: she’s never had an assist rate higher than 12.9% and has had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio in four of her five seasons. In 20 games with the Wings this year, she recorded 36 assists and 49 turnovers. And with the Lynx’s five-out offense that depends on shooting and decision-making, teams could end up ignoring her on that end. Still, considering what Minnesota gave up—an injured Samuelson, a 2027 second-rounder, and Diamond Miller, who Reeve no longer trusted—it’s a low-risk move. The real question now is: can Carrington’s defense outweigh her offensive limitations? In the right matchup, it just might.