A roster overhaul for the Dallas Wings has one WNBA analyst warning of ‘growing pains’ as the team attempts to build a new identity around star Paige Bueckers.

“The Wings were really bad last season, but they have added a lot of new pieces that could prove well for them, and like I told you guys yesterday. And like I told you yesterday, I think the Wings are going to have some growing pains. They’re going to have to figure out how this team is going to gel together. They’re going to have to figure out the identity of this team.”

“They’re going to have to figure out the ball movement and who is going to control the pace, and there are a lot of things to figure out with this team. But I do think they’ll be significantly better than they were last season. Obviously, bringing in Alanna Smith into the mix as well,” says DeMita.

DeMita makes it clear how the Wings are looking for revival after a couple of forgettable seasons, building up on a team that would be able to work around with Paige Bueckers in the middle of things. Players like Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Arike Ogunbowale, who are known for their defensive skills and scoring, have been brought on board to help Paige find able partners who can work on her level.

Needless to say, even after Paige’s heroics, the team wasn’t able to justify their star status. After 2024, even 2025 saw the team going through the same turmoil that saw defensive lapses. In spite of playing at the fastest pace in the league, their defense was historically poor, leading to frequent blowouts and a bottom-tier finish.

Missing out on some key contributors like Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsoder also didn’t make things easy for the team, and the result was for everyone to see. Dallas Wings got clipped and even Paige couldn’t do anything about it.

But will the situation improve now that the team has chosen to go along with a guard-heavy roster ?

Well, it goes without saying that having players like Arike, Alanna, and Azzi would surely elevate the Wings, but even then, there’s always that question mark about whether this team, which is having a guard-heavy roster, will be able to find its rhythm. Most of the team will be looking to see if they have the required cohesion to succeed because the WNBA doesn’t allow you a lot of time to adjust.

Paige has already found her groove with Dallas, and her stats for the team show that she, for one, wasn’t lacking by any means – 19.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg,5.9 apg, which is why she will be the unsaid leader despite the presence of senior players. Bueckers has been the Dallas Wings’ offensive centerpiece since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2025. Not only a scoring leader, but her playmaking, including her ability to control pace and distribute, is a key need for the Wings.

Yet the situation again is far from assuring. With so many ball handlers, it will be difficult for the coach, Jose Fernandez, to clearly demarcate roles, making the whole allotment redundant. More so when both Ogunbowale and Bueckers thrive in finding the hoop. Naturally, adjustments will have to be made, and without a clear line of communication running, there is a heavy chance of an unwanted commotion taking place on the glass.

Furthermore, while Alanna Smith (Co-Defensive Player of the Year) and Jessica Shepard provide frontcourt stability, the roster’s imbalance toward guards could leave rebounding and rim protection vulnerable. As such, there are a whole lot of what-ifs at this point.

But all that is for the management to oversee preseason, because right now, it’s vacation mode for everyone, including Paige, who is busy spending some quality time outside the country.

Paige Bueckers Spends Time In Croatia With A Former UConn Connection

Paige Bueckers is using the time ahead of the season to satisfy her travel urges and was recently spotted in Croatia spending time with her former UConn teammate Nika Muhl during a vacation. As soon as the news surfaced, there were silent murmurs as to what was brewing between the duo, as many thought it to be a romantic getaway.

The spontaneity of the incident also surprised everyone because just days prior, her apparent partner, Azzi Fudd, got drafted to Dallas as the no 1 overall pick. This would again mean that the former UConn standouts will get to share the stage with Fudd, but this time on the WNBA court, yet there was no confirmation about their current relationship status.

Although Paige was present during the 2026 WNBA draft and supported Azzi right through the draft session, it still made fans assume things. But Bueckers’ trip was for different reasons. She visited Croatia to check on Nika Muhl, who was dealing with an injury.

Muhl suffered another ACL injury while representing Croatia in EuroBasket preparation, and Paige was there to make sure she was doing fine. But the visit got attention for different reasons. Even Paige had a lot of fun as she shared the news with her photo dump.

“A trip needed for the soul. Can confirm they have sharks in the Croatian sea,” showing the amount of fun she had during the trip.

Paige Bueckers is relaxed, and the mood of the team also feels cheery, with Azzi Fudd not losing her smile since her WNBA draft day, and that shows that the team players are not at all bogged down after last year’s failure but are more resolute than ever to change things up.