DiJonai Carrington thought she’d found a long-term home when she joined the Dallas Wings in February. But just months later, she’s on the move again—this time heading to the Minnesota Lynx in a trade that left fans both celebrating and scratching their heads.
Carrington’s departure raised eyebrows, especially after Dallas made her a key piece in their offseason rebuild. But not everyone is disappointed. Lynx guard Courtney Williams, a close friend of Carrington, made her excitement clear on Instagram, writing, “W’s in the chatttt,” as news of the trade broke.
While Dallas secured the No. 1 overall pick in Paige Bueckers, the rest of their campaign hasn’t gone to plan. The front office is moving fast to retool the roster around their rising star—but Carrington’s exit raises the question: was it the right call?
DiJonai Carrington’s Dallas Wings Stint Falls Short of Expectations
DiJonai Carrington was acquired in a four-team deal earlier this year with the hope she’d reshape the team’s defensive identity. Wings GM Curt Miller made it clear at the time how highly they valued her.
“DiJonai was arguably the best guard defender in all the league in 2024,” Miller said. “Adding her was a top priority. We needed someone to help us remake the defensive identity of this team.”
But the results didn’t follow. The Wings finished just 10th in defensive rating. Offensively, Carrington struggled to make an impact. Among 53 WNBA players with at least 200 half-court possessions, she ranked last in points per possession (0.634 PPP), struggling as both a spot-up shooter and in pick-and-roll situations.
Head coach Chris Koclanes acknowledged her effort but hinted at inconsistency.
“[DiJonai] brings an energy that’s different from anyone else. She’s not perfect, but she plays so hard defensively and consistently runs the floor,” Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “We need that version of her consistently.”
Now, Carrington gets a fresh start in Minnesota—on a team looking to make a deep playoff run. Whether Dallas made the right call remains to be seen, but Carrington’s fire and effort won’t be in question as she takes the next step in her WNBA journey.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
