WNBA offseason: Paige Bueckers is the top prize, but what else do non-playoff teams need to improve?

The playoffs are set, and Dallas, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles all missed out. Now, while the rest of the league fights for a championship, those franchises have their eyes on another prize: Paige Bueckers.

The UConn star will likely be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, bringing with her an elite skill set that can instantly elevate any team. But only one franchise will win the Bueckers sweepstakes, which means all four have work to do in the offseason in order to improve next season.

Chicago Sky: Developing rookies is top priority

The Sky actually don’t have a shot at the No. 1 draft pick because of the 2023 trade that sent Marina Mabrey to Chicago from Dallas. The trade included a first-round pick swap in 2024. Chicago can’t bolster its roster with a draft pick, so instead, the Sky need to refine what it already has. That starts with rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

The offseason is huge for rookie development, just look at Maddy Siegrist in Dallas. She went from 8.2 minutes and 3.7 points per game to 23.9 minutes and 9.4 points per game. Reese and Cardoso already played significant minutes and put up big numbers for Chicago, so they likely won’t make as dramatic of a jump. Instead, the two will need to refine their games. Cardoso will play for the Shanghai Swordfish in the offseason, a team that Breanna Stewart has been a part of in the past. Meanwhile, Reese will spend her offseason playing in the new 3×3 league, Unrivaled, alongside some of the WNBA’s top stars. Traditionally, rookies go overseas in the offseason, but Siegrist, who was a part of Athletes Unlimited, is proof that development can happen in different ways. Reese and Cardoso need to make the most of their respective situations in order to come back stronger in 2025.

Then it comes down to building around the post duo. Chennedy Carter seems to have found her place with Chicago, leading the team in scoring with 17.5 points per game. Carter, Reese and Cardoso emerged as the team’s “Big Three” as the season progressed, and the Sky should lean into that for next season by finding pieces that fit around them, and running a system that plays to the trio’s strengths.

Dallas Wings: Get healthy and keep stars

Dallas has the best chance to get the No. 1 draft pick, thanks to the trade with Chicago. Adding Bueckers to the roster would certainly improve this squad, but the main thing for Dallas heading into 2025 is just to get healthy. The Wings made it to the second round of the playoffs in 2023 with Satou Sabally and Arike Ogunbowale leading the charge. But they never found their footing in 2024, largely due to injuries. Sabally missed the entire first half with a shoulder injury, and even after she returned from the Olympic break, the forward didn’t look 100%.

And Sabally wasn’t the only one. Only rookies Jacy Sheldon and Sevgi Uzun played all 40 games this season, with everyone else missing time. Natasha Howard, who serves as the team’s third scoring option, missed the first month of the season with a foot injury, Siegirst had surgery on her index finger, and after impressing in the preseason, Jaelyn Brown missed nearly the entire season with a string of injuries and illnesses. The Wings were never healthy enough to see what they could do, or what they needed to improve on.

Another concern for Dallas is free agency. Both Sabally and Howard are free agents this offseason. The Wings need to re-sign their stars and get healthy before they can think about much else.

Washington Mystics: Find star power

The fact that Washington was close to snagging the last playoff spot is commendable, given the fact that the Mystics started the season 0-12. They improved throughout the season, but there is definitely something missing from this team. The Mystics have a lot of good players, like guards Ariel Atkins and Brittney Sykes, but they don’t have a star player to go to when things get tough.

Since signing Elena Delle Donne in 2017, the Mystics have designed everything around her. She led them to a title in 2019 and remained the team’s cornerstone in the ensuing seasons. But when Delle Donne opted to take a break from basketball this season, it was clear that she can no longer be the team’s path forward.

The Mystics need to sign a star free agent this offseason if they want to contend. The rest of the roster is full of solid role players, but they need someone of Delle Donne’s caliber to elevate their games. Shakira Austin has star potential, but injuries have prevented her from reaching it thus far. If she gets healthy and the Mystics bring in a major scoring threat, they will take a step next season.

L.A. Sparks: Sign guards who can create their own shots

The Sparks have a lot of good things happening at the forward position with Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson, Azura Stevens and Cameron Brink (when she gets healthy). But they are missing a guard or two who can create their own shots and score. Bueckers could fill that need, and the Sparks have the second best odds to land the No. 1 draft pick. But with or without the UConn guard, L.A. still needs to find ways for its guards to create for themselves.

This season, Hamby had a breakout year, proving herself as more than just the a sixth player. She’s L.A.’s star right now, averaging 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Jackson became her team’s second option, showcasing her athleticism, length and ability to score. Stevens is also a proven scorer, and Brink was playing well until her ACL injury, but all four players are forwards, and the Sparks need more variety in their offensive attack.

All of the league’s top squads have a guard who can get to the rim and score consistently. The Liberty have Sabrina Ionescu, the Lynx have Courtney Williams, the Sun have DiJonai Carrington, the Aces have Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray, and the Storm have Jewell Loyd and Skylar-Diggins Smith. The Sparks were never fully healthy at the guard position, but even when they were, Kia Nurse, Lexie Brown and Layshia Clarendon are not shot-creating guards. They certainly have a place on the roster, but they are all better at either scoring off the pass or setting up teammates. The Sparks need someone who can open things up for their talented forwards by scoring at will.