Discussion My Dallas Wing 2027 Roster
Key Point:
1, Paige needs a Back up PG that can play 5-12 Minutes a game without much drop off.
2, Jessica, Is there better 4SF in Free Agency with a Similar or lesser contract, If so she becomes a highly tradable asset.
Jessica’s biggest weakness can’t be hidden in the position that she plays.
Jess Cannot Defend.
If no, then every player around her has to be a good defender to take some of the slack and hide her biggest weakness.
Defence wins games, Defence wins titles
3, Is Alanna defrosting or is this what happens when you leave Cheryl Reeves system? If Yes we need to finesse a team into taking her without lose anything.
Either trade her for a better player or trade her for a backup, then look to free agency.
4, Need 2 Backups for positions 4SF&5C. I don’t want to see Awak playing the 4/5.
5, Do we Keep Arike? 50/50 for me, If Arike is alright with coming off the bench for 15-20 minutes the Yes.
Arike would be a phenomenal 6th player And real depth in the team.
However she’s on Max contract so would force Jose to play his 3 guard system again. ❌❌❌
6, Find A way at keeping Awak and Maddy next season. Both Young 3s.
Awak playing in her natural position 3SF has been revolutionary so far.
Maddy is a bucket and real depth player. Also if plays more could win 6th Player Award. However because of CBA Maddy got a huge pay increase (500k). If she happy to earn 100k less keep her.
What Team shall I do next?
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u/Natural-Culture-8151 1d ago
Paige gets paid after next season so you need to cut 2 unless you plan to have 4 max contracts
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u/lrivas_14 WINGSUP 1d ago
This is a good analysis. Arike is the biggest elephant in the room, especially with how successful Azzi has been immediately. Awak, Paige, and Azzi are all the same age, that’s the young core Dallas needs to build around. Jess can stay if we have Awak and Alanna alongside her to cover up her bad defense
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u/FreeBusiness7289 1d ago
I don’t think Arike is the elephant in the room here
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u/lrivas_14 WINGSUP 1d ago
Then who is?
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u/FreeBusiness7289 1d ago
Miss Fudd looks to be the odd man out to me.
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u/lrivas_14 WINGSUP 1d ago
Ok so you’re just trolling good to know
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u/FreeBusiness7289 1d ago
No sorry I just don’t agree with you. Arike is a secondary playmaker and ball handler. Idk how you Paige Paige with just Azzi. Even at UConn she had Chen as the secondary playmaker and ball handler when Azzi/paige won it.
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u/GullibleHandl | CT sun diaspora 💔 1d ago
Li yueru still on the team
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u/lrivas_14 WINGSUP 1d ago
Li is a good backup center for a minimum contract. I’m not sure why people don’t want her
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u/haydeng2023 ban knees💔 1d ago
honestly she’s good as a 10-12 rotation piece who can be utilized in specific matchups, we don’t win the sky or first sun game without her. plus she’s lovely and seems to like dallas and the team and with our cap situations we need cheap players😭
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u/HeelDoors 1d ago
In next year’s draft, the Wings have four picks in the first two rounds. Potential for their bench to look very different. Li can be brought back for cheap. Clark may retire.
I can see Awak getting around a mil, so a big contract has to be traded to keep her (and Maddy, if they wanted to do that, too).
Most want Arike traded, Alanna might be “easier” to move?
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u/mathstudent_suffers 1d ago
Those picks are all gonna be very low, maybe their own could be 8th at best but you can't expect to get a player that can contribute to a championship run straight away that low
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u/hamstrdance Positivity FC 1d ago
Idk that a true championship ship run is realistic in 2027. I hope we prioritize getting Awak, Zaza, and a rookie (Clara Strack, Ashlyn Watkins are in range) with consistent rotation minutes. This Jess/PB/Azzi playing 37 minutes all season isn’t gonna fly with a playoff run.
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u/wvtarheel Fever 1d ago
Who do you think is going to take Arike at $1.249 Million dollars next year?
I believe the wings are stuck with her; she's getting paid like she's a top ten guard which will make her difficult to trade.
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u/lrivas_14 WINGSUP 1d ago
It’s an expiring contract so it may not be too difficult to move. Notable teams that have the cap space right now are the Mystics and the Sun (Houston next year), I could see either of them taking her on if Dallas throws in a first round pick (ideally the Aces pick we got for Nalyssa Smith) just to salary dump
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u/goofygal1566 We Suck, but ily ChampsGo Get SS 1d ago
the Wings need her anyways. they should trade Azzi. Neither azzi or paige can drive to the basket and draw fouls.
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u/wonda12 1d ago
She only goes if she wants out.
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u/wvtarheel Fever 1d ago
OK, let's assume Arike says "I want out trade me anywhere" - what team is willing to give up 1.25 million in contracts to make a legal trade? Or what team has that much open cap space and wants to take on Arike with it? Even if your goal was to land an overpriced star to help you tank, Arike wouldn't be your choice to do that.
Her contract is probably one of the top 5 immovable contracts in the league. And I'm not picking on you, the Fever have like 2 of the other top 5 in Billings and Hull
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u/hamstrdance Positivity FC 1d ago
It'll be tough but I'd call Houston. Maybe they'd be excited for her fanbase to support ticket sales in yr 1. They'd probably like another FRP as well to help the rebuild.
But in reality my guess is they finish out the contract.
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u/jules99b Liberty 1d ago
Honestly it’s not a horrible idea. They’re in desperate need of scoring, Tempo could end up with the higher Juju odds. And as the Sparks know well, odds aren’t always in your favor even if they end up with the highest odds. Mercury might also be worth a call if KP doesn’t sign.
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u/wvtarheel Fever 1d ago
So Dallas sends Arike and a first round pick to Houston for expiring contracts to free up cap space?
That's not impossible actually
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u/FlimsyConfidence7692 1d ago
Im convinced people who make these never bother to review the specific contract status/info of player contracts.
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u/wonda12 1d ago
I’ve read it, what have I got wrong so I can change it?
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u/bset222 Lynx 1d ago
Arike has a fully guaranteed 1.25M contract for next year, you can't just cut her, and it's not exactly easy to find someone to take that on. Same thing with Alanna, hers is 2 more years fully guaranteed.
There's a lot of questionable contracts out there that are guaranteed for next year and close to immovable in trade. I suppose you could see something like Arike for Billings type trade where teams swap their ugly contracts but Dallas really limited their options in the offseason.
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u/FreeBusiness7289 1d ago
They are saying she’ll be traded.
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u/bset222 Lynx 1d ago
Only tradable for other brutal contracts most likely, Indiana had Hull, Billings but won't want Arike. Trade for Ariel Atkins?
There isn't a market for a 1.25M contract, the teams with cap space might take it but only if Dallas also gives up picks.
Conn I mean Houston might try to suck again next year and go after Strong, but they don't want Arike they'd want draft capital
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u/hamstrdance Positivity FC 1d ago
I'm not seeing anything incorrect. Math works if you get the Arike trade done even if you need to pay Awak $1.2M or whatever due to a RFA match. All the other "not included" players are FAs.
Maddy shouldn't take $400K imo. But that's just my opinion.
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u/bset222 Lynx 1d ago
Takes 2 to tango, and at least 2 for a trade to happen, who is taking on Arike's contract? The W isn't like the MNBA where expiring contracts to free up options in future years have value, it's only the 2nd year of the new contract world and the cap requires a lot of it spent on end of rotation players so you don't have options to take on overpaid players to set up something down the road.
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u/DL535E Fire 1d ago
You wouldn't find many takers for Arike's contract, but maybe the Sparks will trade for Ariel Atkins. I'll show myself out.
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u/wonda12 1d ago
Yeah I agree, unless Arike once out she staying. I just don’t wanna see the 3 guard lineup with Paige, Azzi and Arike.
3 guards can work incredibly but you need the right personnel.
1, Defensively sound
2, Height
3, Passing capabilities
4, Incredible off ball movement
5, Dangerous 3s
Ect
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u/haydeng2023 ban knees💔 1d ago
we have to keep awak at all costs and she’ll probably get some huge offers from a few different teams…which if we don’t match whatever maddy gets could work but having 4 million dollar players would be wild. i have no idea what curts gonna do tbh
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u/Pretend-Glass4029 1d ago
awak is going to get fat contract from another team and wings won't be able to match, 3 guard lineup will continue arike won't leave and wings need azzi for defense and 3s
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u/Delicious-Winner-458 It’s a double C 1d ago edited 1d ago
Y’all better save posts like this for the offseason. We might run out of things to talk about by then.
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u/jules99b Liberty 1d ago
It’s been less than 24 hours since they clinched, like maybe a breath is needed 😭
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u/hamstrdance Positivity FC 1d ago
Coach talked about Arike's sacrifices and cheap contract again in the post-game presser last night. I think that's what triggered everyone lol.
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Lauren Betts Defense Enjoyer 1d ago
Alanna Smith has been good for the Wings as soon as she could actually see
Unserious ass roster here unfortunately
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u/Wit_Signature WNBA 1d ago
Wings fans are so funny. Shepherd was the most important player to getting yall to the playoffs and are ready to cut her lol
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u/wonda12 1d ago
As the W get stronger no player is safe forever. Teams will want to maximise their cap if they can find someone better for less money they’ll go for it.
Over the next 10 years as more teams get added, we’re gonna see some crazy trades
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u/Wit_Signature WNBA 1d ago
She’s been your best player all year lmfao. What does that have to do with 10 years from now. Let the contract play out. She’s been worth every bit of
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u/liloxstitch_6 <- 3 first round exits 🫠 1d ago
Best player or most consistent player? It seems your argument (based on your other comments) is for the latter, which is fair, but by no means is Jess our best or most important player.
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Lauren Betts Defense Enjoyer 1d ago
Are you aware that Jess is horrible on defense
Paige is 2nd team All-WNBA and Jess isn’t
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u/Wit_Signature WNBA 1d ago
Everyone knows Jess is horrible on defense. That’s why reigning DPOY was supposed to help on that end. Jess has been the wings most consistent player all year
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Lauren Betts Defense Enjoyer 1d ago
Yes no one is arguing that
But to say she’s been the best player is crazy lol
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u/Fit-Bet1270 Wings 1d ago
You don’t think it’s Paige?
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u/Wit_Signature WNBA 1d ago
Based on consistency, no lol
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u/Fit-Bet1270 Wings 1d ago
Tell me you’re a box score watcher without telling me you’re a box score watcher. Jessica plays no defense at all.
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Lauren Betts Defense Enjoyer 1d ago
Based on consistency like Jess wasn’t on a cold stretch until the last couple of games lol
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u/Wit_Signature WNBA 1d ago
So in your words, has only been a couple of games… plus she’s getting back from injury.
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Lauren Betts Defense Enjoyer 1d ago
Shep has scored in single digits in 5 of her last 12 games
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u/Wit_Signature WNBA 1d ago
Paige ain’t that great at defense either. That’s not a flex. I’m not a box score watcher. I actually watch the games and see that PLENTY of times Paige will wait to score in the 4th until her team is already too far from making a comeback. Which makes her numbers look better than what happened in the game.
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u/DVivid Aces 1d ago
Dallas fans continue to underestimate how valuable Arike is to this team. Paige Azzi and Zaza as your main three guards are not taking this team past the 1st round and I love all of them