WNBA trade grades: Report cards for every major deal

With the WNBA commercialized deadline coming up connected Thursday, contenders are starting to get superior astir upgrading their rosters wrong the constrictive confines permitted by the league's hard wage cap.

On Sunday, the league-leading Minnesota Lynx made a cardinal move, picking up reigning Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington from the Dallas Wings successful speech for Diamond Miller, injured Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round pick.

Carrington, who didn't find the occurrence she was anticipating aft joining Dallas via sign-and-trade arsenic a restricted escaped cause past offseason, should supply a bigger boost to Minnesota with the antiaircraft skills that person earned her the nickname "Seatbelt" due to the fact that of her quality to dilatory opposing stars.

Meanwhile, the Wings are looking to the aboriginal arsenic they physique astir No. 1 prime Paige Bueckers. Miller, taken 2nd wide successful 2022, has a accidental for much playing clip than she has gotten connected a Lynx squad that is much focused connected winning trophies than processing young talent.

We interruption down what Sunday's commercialized means for some teams.

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DiJonai Carrington dribbles done defenders for 2

DiJonai Carrington dribbles done defenders for 2

League-leading Lynx onshore antiaircraft specialist

Lynx get:
G DiJonai Carrington

Wings get:
F Diamond Miller
G Karlie Samuelson
2027 second-round draught pick

Minnesota grade: A-

Barring an extended lack from MVP front-runner Napheesa Collier, who near Saturday's record-setting triumph implicit the Las Vegas Aces with an ankle injury, Minnesota should cruise to the apical wide effect with a six-game cushion implicit the remainder of the WNBA.

That gives the Lynx the payment of focusing connected however they lucifer up successful the playoffs, peculiarly successful a imaginable Finals rematch against the defending champion New York Liberty. Carrington could play a cardinal relation with her on-ball defence if that bid comes to pass.

Carrington's clip successful Dallas was a utile reminder that antiaircraft stoppers thin to bash much to amended a defense's ceiling than its floor. Adding Carrington wasn't capable to assistance the Wings beyond 10th successful the WNBA successful antiaircraft rating, portion of the crushed she mislaid her starting occupation aft 12 games and has seen reduced playing time.

In Minnesota, Carrington joins a rock-solid strategy similar the league-leading 1 the Connecticut Sun employed erstwhile she got a Defensive Player of the Year ballot and earned All-Defensive archetypal squad honors en way to winning Most Improved Player honors past season. In fact, the Lynx's 95.1 antiaircraft standing is astir 3 less points per 100 possessions than immoderate different squad successful the WNBA.

Second to Connecticut successful antiaircraft standing past season, Minnesota has accomplished that without the payment of a existent perimeter stopper. Kayla McBride got the antiaircraft duty connected Sabrina Ionescu successful past year's Finals, a relation she played much than capably. But taking that disconnected McBride's sheet could assistance her offensively.

Depending connected however matchups go, I could adjacent spot Carrington starting successful the playoffs alongside McBride. As good arsenic things person gone for the Lynx this season, tiny guardant Bridget Carleton hasn't been arsenic effectual arsenic erstwhile she finished 3rd successful Most Improved voting down Carrington past year. Carleton is making 36% of her 3s, down from 44% successful 2024.

That shooting is inactive amended than Carrington, who's shooting 26% connected 3s this season, putting her successful the WNBA's bottommost 10 among players with astatine slightest 50 changeable attempts. Maintaining spacing has been cardinal to Minnesota's offense, which has seen each 5 starters mean astatine slightest 1 3-pointer per game. It volition beryllium absorbing to spot however Carrington fits successful that regard.

Even if Carrington is strictly a reserve for the Lynx, she fills a need. After recently acquired Samuelson suffered a ft wounded that required season-ending surgery, Cheryl Reeve's rotation was abbreviated a subordinate she trusts. Minnesota boasts 2 of the WNBA's apical reserves successful Natisha Hiedeman and Jessica Shepard, but there's a positional spread successful betwixt the 5-foot-8 Hiedeman and the 6-foor-4 Shepard.

Miller, the 2nd wide prime successful 2023, could ne'er gain Reeve's trust. After Miller underwent genu country past May, she fell retired of the rotation and played conscionable 456 full minutes implicit the past 2 seasons. Miller had immoderate amended efforts recently, but Wednesday's crippled against New York was a playoff preview successful presumption of playing time. Miller played 4 minutes arsenic Reeve fundamentally tightened her rotation to 7 players. With the Finals expanding to best-of-seven this season, the Lynx were astir apt a subordinate short.

Besides Miller, the semipermanent outgo present was minimal for Minnesota. The team's 2027 second-round prime volition apt travel astatine the extremity of the round, and Samuelson volition beryllium an unrestricted escaped cause adjacent offseason. Barring an unexpected alteration to the WNBA corporate bargaining agreement, the Lynx had nary vantage successful re-signing Samuelson by keeping her connected the roster the remainder of the season.

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Diamond Miller connects connected creaseless jumper

Diamond Miller connects connected creaseless jumper

Dallas grade: B

We'll yet look backmost connected Carrington's little clip with the Wings arsenic a mediocre acceptable for some sides. Carrington didn't get the expanded relation she mightiness person hoped aft playing with a contending squad and Dallas didn't get the betterment it was seeking. With Carrington headed toward unrestricted escaped bureau and the Wings headed backmost to the lottery, thing Dallas could get is simply a positive.

It's imaginable that aft the trade, Miller could amusement much of the skills that made her an All-American astatine Maryland. She has been effectual successful sporadic playing clip this season, making 43% of 2s and 14-of-26 from 3 arsenic compared to 37% connected 2s and 5-of-26 connected 3s successful 2024. Miller gave Minnesota an important assistance past Sunday successful a nonaccomplishment to Atlanta, scoring 8 points successful 16 minutes to assistance the Lynx get backmost successful the game.

Miller's operation of size (6-foot-3) and perimeter skills acceptable good connected a Wings squad with 1 of the WNBA's smallest backcourts. The 6-foot Bueckers has been the team's lone non-post taller than 5-11 overmuch of the season, with the 5-8 duo of Arike Ogunbowale and JJ Quinerly emerging arsenic starters and 5-10 rookie Aziaha James disconnected the bench.

Looking ahead, I'm funny however Dallas' protected database shakes retired for the upcoming enlargement draft. Assuming the league follows the aforesaid rules arsenic for past year's Golden State Valkyries expansion, the Wings person six spots available. Bueckers and Maddy Siegrist are the astir evident options for Dallas. That leaves 4 spots betwixt Arike Ogunbowale -- an unrestricted escaped cause who could beryllium selected arsenic a halfway subordinate -- Miller, 3 starters (Quinerly, Luisa Geiselsoder and Li Yueru) and cardinal reserve James.

Already, the Wings had to waive seasoned halfway Teaira McCowan to marque country for 2 newcomers connected their roster. Although Dallas mightiness not support Samuelson connected the roster owed to her injury, determination indispensable beryllium a spot for her astatine the clip of the trade. McCowan had averaged a career-low 12.9 MPG and did not look to beryllium a portion of the Wings' semipermanent plans.