How’d she turn into such a defensive beast? You might’ve asked that a few times, watching DiJonai Carrington on the court. The hustle, the grit, the ability to clamp down on elite scorers, where does it come from? Well, Nai has a pretty simple answer: “It takes heart” to play both sides of the ball. Fair enough. But you know what else helped? Growing up playing football. But if you ask us, it’s also her work ethic that took her from a fiery spark off the bench to a full-blown game-changer. The Most Improved Player of the Year…she earned that. Which kinda makes you wonder, why would Dallas trade her?

Well, let’s just put it as… business is business. The Dallas Wings sent Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday in a move that raised more than a few eyebrows. In return, Dallas received forward Diamond Miller, guard Karlie Samuelson, and a 2027 second-round draft pick. To wrap the deal up, they also waived center Teaira McCowan, bringing an end to her four-year stint with the team. 

But DiJonai seems… relieved? Like, actually happy. After her debut game with the Lynx, she said, “This was one of the first times I’ve had fun playing basketball this season.” That’s a big statement. We’re talking about a player who appeared in 20 games for Dallas this year. She was even starting at one point. And now, coming off the bench for the Lynx and dropping 13 points, she still looks more content than she ever did in Wings blue. And this isn’t the first time she’s let her feelings slip.

In her goodbye message to Dallas, she wrote, “Thank youuuu sm, Dallas fans and my teammates. I love y’all & jus know I always felt the love from you guys despite everything else. Minnyyyy fans yk what time it issss tho. Locked in, TMUUUU. Oh & #3Jonai is bykeee.”

“Despite everything else?” We all know what that means. The vibes weren’t vibing. And you know what probably kicked it off? Maybe benching. On June 17, when Dallas rolled out a brand new starting five – Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, NaLyssa Smith, Myisha Hines-Allen, and rookie Aziaha James – DiJonai was nowhere in that mix. And she wasn’t thrilled.

Just a few weeks ago, she didn’t hide her frustration. “It’s definitely an adjustment… It was hard for me just being that the whole point of me coming to Dallas was to expand my role,” she admitted. “So, I feel like, not that coming off the bench means it’s diminished, but sort of in a sense, a little bit… But I’ve come off the bench before in my career. Whenever I’m out there, y’all know what you’re going to get from me.”

That’s honesty. That’s a player who wants to contribute and feels like she’s being held back. And it probably played a huge role in Dallas deciding to part ways. But now she’s with the Lynx, and things just make more sense. Carrington isn’t just a good fit for Minnesota; she might be the missing piece. She brings elite perimeter defense, secondary ball-handling, and legit playoff experience. Until now, Cheryl Reeve mostly leaned on Natisha Hiedeman and Jessica Shepard to bring steadiness off the bench. Now, she’s got Nai.

 As for Dallas, they’re clearly investing in the future. But in the present, they’ve lost one of their most reliable two-way players. Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers is probably feeling the sting more than most , missing her “parents.” 

DiJonai Carrington reacts to Paige Bueckers’ sweetest shoutout

Dallas’ biggest moves came when they traded away former No. 2 overall pick NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces for a 2027 first-round draft pick. Smith had started 15 games, averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds during the Wings’ shaky 5-13 start. And then, in a matter of days, Carrington was traded too, this time to the Minnesota Lynx. Sheryl Swoopes felt it had a lot to do with Smith leaving, though. However, basketball reasons and theories aside, what stirred the internet even more was what Paige Bueckers said next. 

Speaking to the media before a matchup against the Liberty, the rookie phenom opened up about losing two of the most important people in her young WNBA journey. “I love those guys,” Bueckers said. “They kind of adopted me as parents. I guess I was their child. Just what they meant to me—welcoming me in my rookie year, embracing me, embracing my personality, embracing my annoyingness. They became big sisters to me. I look to them for advice on how to navigate this whole thing.”

It was heartfelt and real. And it didn’t take long for Carrington to respond. Posting to social media, she shared a clip of Bueckers’ quote and added, “Our babygirl forever 🩷 frfr.” That one sentence summed up everything. Even though they’re now playing in different cities, the bond between the three – Paige, Nai, and Nai’s partner Smith – hasn’t faded.

It’s something we saw coming, by the way. Earlier this season, Bueckers threw out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game. It was a star rookie moment, but what caught everyone’s eye was Carrington. She wasn’t just filming from the dugout; she was hyping Paige up, cheering louder than anyone else. And then there was All-Star Weekend. During the game, Carrington, on her liv,e was shouting, “Our baby has grown up!”, like a proud, slightly embarrassing, older sister or mom. That dynamic is special.

So the Wings’ roster may look different now, but the emotional imprint Carrington and Smith left behind is still strong.  And while it’s business on the floor, off it, this trio reminded us all that sometimes the best part of a rookie year isn’t just the stats but the people who make you feel at home.