Can the Dallas Wings Salvage the 2024 Season? » Winsidr

On an 11-game losing streak, the Dallas Wings have been flying through turbulence since the first two weeks of competition. From injuries to a lack of cohesion, many factors have contributed to why the Wings are currently ranked last in the league (3-13 record). While losing a superstar like Satou Sabally to injury during the offseason is tough, the Dallas franchise has the assets in tow to compete in the middle of the pack. This year’s team isn’t as experienced and battle tested together like the 2021 and 2022 rosters. However, the current roster construction includes a mix of veterans and experienced players who can perform higher than their current 12th seed standing.

Dallas’ struggles have come down to a few different things, but let’s focus on the most glaring issues: injuries, lineups, coaching, and team chemistry.

Injury Bug Sweeps Dallas (Again)

To start the season, only Sabally was named out after sustaining a shoulder injury while competing for Germany in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament during the WNBA offseason. Her return to the court is expected after the Paris Olympics, during which the WNBA will also take a month-long break. Sabally was the heartbeat of the 2023 Wings, coming off the best season of her career where she claimed the league’s Most Improved Player Award. She was also the team’s leading three-point shooter, recording 36.1 in three-point percentage. Sabally has yet to touch the floor for the Wings, and it’s clear her presence is missed in a few areas–especially perimeter shooting where Dallas currently place last.

Furthermore, Jaelyn Brown broke her nose during training camp, and after playing one game into the season she had surgery to repair the fracture. Brown was initially ruled out for a week, however, she began to suffer from an undisclosed illness after the procedure that’s kept her sidelined since. On top of that, Natasha Howard also sustained an injury in the first game of the season, breaking her foot, which sidelined her for three to six weeks.

With Sabally, Howard, and Brown sidelined for a while, the Wings signed Monique Billings to a hardship contract after being down to eight players. Billings’ hardship contract is active until the team is back to 10 healthy players. Howard returned to play on June 20 against the Chicago Sky, however, more injuries plagued the team, keeping Billings active on the roster. Arike Ogunbowale began to experience soreness in her Achilles on June 17 after a shootaround that morning and began to be considered day-to-day, also missing the matchup versus the Minnesota Lynx that day. To top it all off, Maddy Siegrist broke her finger on June 17 against the Lynx, and immediately had surgery that was announced on June 19, likely sidelining her through the Olympic break, an eight-week absence. The team initially signed Morgan Bertsch to a hardship contract after losing Siegrist, but soon after released Bertsch to sign longtime Dallas veteran guard Odyssey Sims to a hardship contract in exchange.

Howard’s return is a bright spot for the Wings, averaging 18.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 3.5 APG on 46.2 field-goal percentage through four games. A larger net has to be cast to truly determine her immediate impact, however, she has notched double digits in each appearance and is a prominent locker room voice. Having Howard back on the court could improve the team’s cohesion, which she and Sabally pride themselves in.

Moreover, with Ogunbowale’s status as day-to-day, having a presence like Sims could assist the Wings in the guard position. The franchise may not have signed Sims to a season contract, but the organization does see her value to continuously bring her back. Dallas needs someone who can facilitate the ball and get the rock to bigs in the post, which Sims has had success with in the past.

Altogether, the Wings have been hit with the injury bug for the second season in a row. Last year, they found a hardship player in Kalani Brown who made an impact and was then rewarded with a three-year protected deal. This year, they’ve acquired an athletic Billings on a hardship who doesn’t mind running the floor and causing havoc on defense. Sims has come in the clutch for the Wings on both occasions to add some veteran facilitation to the court. While the team’s main adversity includes injuries, the Wings’ issues do not stop there, and there’s definitely more to consider.

Inconsistent Lineups and Coaching

The Dallas Wings have been long regarded for acquiring a slew of talent, but depth can also come at a cost when not properly managed. The Wings have tried 85 different lineups this season, and only six of those lineups have been run for 30 minutes or more. A glaring issue this Dallas team has is their lineups and pairings on the court, oftentimes they do not work.

Dallas’ most-used lineup includes Billings, McCowan, Ogunbowale, Siegrist, and Sevgi Uzun. This combination isn’t as effective as it could be, and is also interesting in regards to starters considering Billings is on a hardship contract. One would think K. Brown would get the nod over Billings to start, especially with her relation to McCowan. A pairing of K. Brown and McCowan on the floor together should be a no-brainer, especially for a defensive-minded head coach like Latricia Trammell. The pair are referenced as the team’s twin towers, and are two of the tallest players in the league, but we have not seen them on the court together, totaling only two minutes on the floor this season. It’s a mystery as to why K. Brown and McCowan don’t get lengthy minutes as a duo as they could be one of the most dominant frontcourts in the league if given a chance.

In addition, to start the season, both Siegrist and K. Brown confirmed their offseason workouts included getting runs in together with Ogunbowale. With an entire offseason together establishing chemistry and plays, this trio of players should be playing hefty minutes as a group. Ogunbowale, K. Brown, and Siegrist have played 12 games on the floor together, averaging about 9:45 minutes in each of those games, and logged 56.2 in true-shooting percentage. While starters Howard, Sabally, and J. Brown were sidelined with injuries, the Wings should’ve leaned on the Ogunbowale, K. Brown, and Siegrist trio with the bonus of McCowan. These core four players cemented their chemistry only for it to not be utilized, even once key assets weren’t available. The Wings could have managed to sneak away a few more games if the twin towers competed next to a budding second-year Siegrist, and face of the team Ogunbowale.

Also, the Dallas Wings’ bench is the second-least utilized bench in the league, averaging 8.9 minutes per game. K. Brown averages the most points off the bench at 5.8 PPG, followed by Jacy Sheldon at 4.4 PPG, Lou Lopez Sénéchal at 1.6 PPG, and Stephanie Soares at 1.1 PPG. While the bench doesn’t traditionally receive hefty minutes each game, we must note how Dallas’ bench isn’t being utilized even when starters are struggling or aren’t producing. Uzun is averaging 30.3 minutes per game, producing at 7.3 PPG and 4.7 APG. She’s only scored double digits in four of 16 games, and a Dallas team looking to compete with the best in the league needs more from their starting point guard. Plus, Lopez Sénéchal has not seen a lot of minutes this season despite being healthy after sitting out her rookie year with an injury (2023). The Wings heavily need a wing presence, currently last in three-pointers made and attempted, and 11th in three-point percentage. While both Sabally and Siegrist are out, Lopez Sénéchal could provide much-needed shooting off the bench. Lastly, Soares is still trying to understand her role on the team. Like Sheldon, Soares needs more time to determine where she best fits into the system. On the court, we see both players out of sync more than in.

All in all, Trammell isn’t rallying her locker room like we witnessed last year. Injuries certainly play a major part in this transition period the team is experiencing, but Trammell is the neck that helps the head (her team) turn. With tighter rotations and an improved distribution of minutes, Trammell can certainly get her team back into the middle of the pack to compete for a playoff spot. However, changes have to be made as the Wings’ same tactics from the beginning of the season have landed them in bottom seeding. Trammell and the Wings have the right tools to shake the room a bit, it’s just a matter of finding the right player combinations that can execute and strongly close out games.

See Also

Team Chemistry

The Wings miss two of their biggest voices on the court in Howard and Sabally. As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, Sabally is the glue and the anchor of the team, keeping everyone open on the court and in rhythm. Howard is a grounded leader who helps to keep her teammates focused on the court. When missing two key contributors who assist in the success of the team, it’s without question that the Wings would see some struggles. However, this present version of the Wings is more than that–none of the players are connecting as they should. Who can be a sound voice on the court for the Wings when they don’t have their two best speakers guiding their teammates?

Siegrist arguably kept the team afloat before falling to injury. In only her second year, Siegrist has averaged 14.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 13 games on 52.3 field-goal percentage. She nearly quadrupled her points per game and assists from her rookie campaign (3.2 PPG and 1.6 RBG), ascending to a larger role for the Wings. Siegrist wasn’t afraid to step up to the plate, and came in clutch time after time when her team needed a bucket. She can be seen speaking life into her teammates and working extra hard to clean up on both ends of the floor. Siegrist’s quickly preparing to be a leader on this team, and has shown she doesn’t mind carrying when the team needs a “pick-me-up.”

Next, Ogunbowale has been the face of the Dallas Wings since she entered the league. The ups and downs of her time in Dallas have prepared her vastly to be a leader on this team, but she doesn’t always take control of the reins. Ogunbowale has improved greatly since the 2022 season, nearly averaging 5.0 APG, and consistently looking for her teammates on the court more. However, she doesn’t have the luxury of not being a vocal leader, and her teammates should be able to look to her for guidance as a six-year veteran and three-time All-Star. There’s room for improvement for Ogunbowale as a figure and centerpiece of the Wings.

Also, let’s not understate the impact McCowan could have on this Dallas locker room. Now in her third season with the franchise and sixth season in the WNBA, McCowan could be a major voice for this Wings squad if she leaned into it. Oftentimes, McCowan’s demeanor on the floor could be interpreted as low effort, especially in transition basketball. Nicknamed “double-double” machine during the 2022 season, she isn’t as aggressive and dominant as when she first arrived at the franchise. McCowan is locked in with the Wings for the next two years and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026. She needs to be more engaged during games, and give effort even when calls aren’t in her favor or she feels slighted. Body language on the court is everything, and the fans at home are asking her to be a force multiplier.

Overall, the Dallas Wings’ 2024 season can be salvaged with the right adjustments and an emphasis on team basketball. But they are not in a position where they can afford to lose too many more games this season. The team currently ranks well at third in rebounds per game, third in free throw percentage, and fourth in points in the paint. On the other hand, the team is also struggling, ranked first in turnovers per game, 11th in defensive rating, and last in three-point percentage. As mentioned above, HC Trammell and her team have the right pieces of the puzzle to begin putting the big picture together until Sabally and other injured players return. But they have to lean on the established chemistry between players, look to give their bench players more minutes, and encourage players to step up. Over their next six games, the Dallas Wings could win as many as three to four games, but they could also lose all six.

How the Wings choose to shake back from the start of the season will be a testament to not only their willpower, but their makeup as a team. If the goal is to bring a championship to Dallas, the Wings have a few things to clean up before being eligible to hang a banner in the rafters. Salvaging the 2024 season is more than just stats on a sheet, it also includes revisiting the foundation made in 2023 to bolster the franchise’s future.

Stats as of 06/27/24, and courtesy of ESPN.com and WNBA.com.