In the world of sports, few things are as captivating as the journey of a team striving for greatness. The Dallas Wings, once a beacon of promise, have found themselves in a state of flux, their once-promising trajectory now veering off course. The question on every fan's mind is: What went wrong? And more importantly, who is to blame? In my opinion, the answer lies in the leadership at the helm, specifically Curt Miller and Greg Bibb, whose decisions have left the team in a state of disarray. This article delves into the mistakes that have plagued the Wings, offering a critical analysis of their strategy and a reflection on the future of the franchise.
The Rise and Fall of the Dallas Wings
The Dallas Wings, once a team of promise, have found themselves in a state of flux. After a promising start to the season, punctuated by a six-game win streak in July, the team's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. They've dropped seven of their last 10 games, and their struggles have only intensified since the All-Star break. The losses of key players like Azzi Fudd and Jessica Shepard have undoubtedly contributed to this decline, but the team's performance against playoff contenders has been equally concerning. Dallas is 6-14 against top-eight WNBA opponents, a stark contrast to their 14-1 record against lottery teams.
This dichotomy is a microcosm for the Dallas Wings franchise. The team is good, but their ceiling is a first-round exit. If they somehow advance, things will certainly go no further. This raises a deeper question: Is the organization ready to compete for a title? After all, it isn't reasonable to assume a team fresh off of back-to-back No. 1 picks will be ready to compete for a title so soon.
The Role of Curt Miller
Curt Miller, a respected women's basketball lifer, was hired to steer the ship in the right direction. With tons of experience winning at a high level, both as a coach and executive, he was revered for his talent evaluation, basketball mind, and ability to foster relationships. However, his tenure as general manager has been marred by a series of questionable decisions.
One of the most glaring mistakes was leaving Carla Leite unprotected in the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft. Leite was an awesome prospect, and the Wings roster was atrocious. The 2024 first-rounder should have been the easiest, most no-brainer protection of anyone the organization held rights to. Instead, Miller opted to let her go for reasons we will never know. This was the first major red flag of the Miller era.
Another example is the decision to entrust Chris Koclanes, a relatively unknown assistant at USC, with building the foundation of the Bueckers era. Koclanes had worked with Miller before as an assistant on his staff in Connecticut, and it was clear that the two have remained close friends. While there is nothing wrong with giving an opportunity to an unknown candidate with whom you share a connection, Koclanes was clearly not suited for this role, looking completely overmatched during his brief tenure.
The Mistakes Continue
The mistakes continued with the multi-team, multi-player trade that sent Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, Sevgi Uzun, and Jacy Sheldon in exchange for DiJonai Carrington, Ty Harris, NaLyssa Smith, and pick No. 12 in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The original Sabally deal was going to land Dallas Ty Harris, NaLyssa Smith, and the eighth overall pick in 2025. However, Miller decided to move down four spots in the draft and send Sheldon to Connecticut to secure DiJonai Carrington. The Wings received mediocre value for Sabally, whose core eligibility gave her sway over where she ended up.
The trade for Li Yueru from Seattle was another questionable decision. Dallas wasn't good and didn't need to move any draft assets. Yueru has had some decent games for the Wings but overall isn't a serious rotation player. The 2026 second-rounder traded to Golden State for the rights to Flau'jae Johnson was also a 'meaningless' asset.
The trade for NaLyssa Smith to Las Vegas for a 2027 first-round pick was likely the best move Miller has made from a process standpoint. However, Smith has excelled in Vegas with A'ja Wilson and Becky Hammon, starting and winning a title in 2025. While that wouldn't have happened in Dallas, the late first the Wings received looks like a pretty cheap sacrifice for what Smith has become.
The Fudd Selection
The selection of Azzi Fudd first overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft is the biggest mistake of the Miller era. Fudd was, at best, the third-best prospect in the draft. I had Awa Fam, Olivia Miles, and Kiki Rice ranked ahead of her. Though Fudd's rookie season has been very good, Miles is already an MVP candidate. Fam looks like a future All-Star big at age 20, one who fits perfectly with Bueckers. Rice has been incredible when healthy, too.
The selection of Fudd launched Miller into a desperate win-now pivot, one that's worked just well enough to render their 2027 picks functionally worthless. How are the Wings going to acquire the star and/or two-way wing they need with zero high draft picks and no cap space? That's the box Miller put himself in with the Fudd selection.
The Way Forward
Throughout all of these team-building mistakes, it's become clear that Curt Miller does not care about the margins. And worse, he's probably lost his talent-evaluation fastball. To compensate, he's relying on people and players he has relationships with, as he seems to think this makes them more valuable. This has even extended to his coaching hires, like Jose Fernandez, who is another Rolodex move, carrying connections with both Miller and UConn coach Geno Auriemma.
If Dallas is to recover from these mistakes and shape a title contender around Bueckers, Miller and Bibb need to go. Bibb's ownership stake makes things tricky, but chairman Bill Cameron would be very wise to simply clean house. These two cannot oversee another offseason, especially one that will likely make or break the franchise. A complete front office reset is desperately needed, or else Wings fans can start preparing to watch Paige Bueckers don a different uniform in her prime.
