After a season full of injuries, hardship signings, and midseason tweaks, the Dallas Wings made a major roster move on Monday by trading forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick. General manager Curt Miller described the decision as a difficult one, but a necessary step toward building a long-term foundation.
“Never easy to give up a player like Lyss,” Miller told Ballislife. “She was fantastic — really professional with us. Her strength for us was really rebounding the basketball. We understand losing Lyss, we have to fill that void of how productive a rebounder she’s been in her career.”
Smith averaged 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18 games with Dallas after being acquired in the offseason. Though she remained a positive locker room presence, her on-court role fluctuated as the Wings struggled to find rhythm during an injury-heavy start.
The deal with Las Vegas came together quickly, according to Miller, who emphasized that it could prove to be a “win-win” for both franchises.
“I’m a big believer in trades that can benefit two teams,” Miller said, invoking a past move he helped engineer. “My favorite trade as a GM was trading Chelsea Gray for JJ [Jonquel Jones]. That was maybe the best trade in the history of our league that benefited two teams. This deal, I think, can help both teams — where we’re at currently and where we’re going.”
Building Around the Frontcourt
With Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder back from national team duties and Li Yueru continuing to carve out a bigger role, the Wings now boast their deepest frontcourt rotation of the season. Myisha Hines-Allen, who’s provided spark and versatility off the bench, also remains a key contributor.
“You can feel an energy with [Teaira] back,” Miller said. “She had a good performance for Turkey, and we’re excited about what she can anchor inside.”
Miller praised the versatility of the post group and emphasized the importance of playing inside-out — noting that Geiselsöder and Yueru can stretch the floor while McCowan and Hines-Allen work in the paint.
“Li has underrated feet, and she’s a tremendous screener,” Miller said. “You see her bond already with Paige [Bueckers]. She’s young but has great potential.”
The departure of Smith not only netted Dallas a valuable future asset but also helped resolve an overcrowded frontcourt situation.
“The unintended consequence of trying to maneuver through five post players that all deserve minutes is that our move now opens up even more time for Luisa and Myisha,” Miller said.
A “Second Quarter” Turnaround
After a brutal 1-11 start to the season, Miller said the team regrouped by breaking the year into segments — likening the season to quarters of a game.
“We didn’t have a great first quarter,” he said. “But just like during a game, you can’t take back the first quarter. You move into the second.”
Since that internal reset, Dallas has gone 4-2 and could have easily posted a better record, Miller argued.
“In this second quarter of games, we had an opportunity to be 7-0. We’re 4-3, but we had a late lead in Vegas, an overtime loss in Washington, and a lead against Indiana with five minutes left,” Miller explained.
Miller credited the turnaround to the team’s mental resilience amid adversity, including a season-ending injury to Tyasha Harris and a lengthy absence for Maddy Siegrist, in addition to midseason EuroBasket departures and on-and-off injuries.
“They’ve embraced the next-person-up mentality,” he emphasized. “We’ve played without five or six players at times. But we’re competitive. There’s still a long season ahead, and they’ve really responded.”
Looking Ahead
The Wings are currently navigating a transition period, balancing competitiveness with future planning. While Miller emphasized the organization is not abandoning short-term goals, he noted the importance of capitalizing on opportunities like the Smith trade and preparing for the upcoming free agency period and future drafts.
“We’re going to compete and try to win every night,” he said. “But we also like the youth we’re building around.”
With a new-look frontcourt and a more defined identity taking shape, the Wings will return to practice Wednesday before hosting the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night.
