How lineup inconsistencies have contributed to early struggles for the Dallas Wings

The Wings have been struggling to become one of the elite franchises in the WNBA. Formerly known as the Tulsa Shock, the Dallas Wings have only had a .500 or better record twice in their first 10 seasons. The team was primed to have a good season after cleaning house, keeping only three players from 2024 and landing former UConn star Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 pick.

Sure, it is not easy to have a team with that many new players have a great amount of success out of the gate, but to start 1-9 is not a good sign that the team could have a winning record by the end of the season.

First-year head coach Chris Koclanes has repeatedly told reporters that Dallas is continuing to learn and grow with each other. Before the matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 6, he said that he has been encouraged by how the three returning players from last season — Arike Ogunbowale, Teaira McCowan and Siegrist — have handled all the newness.

“They’ve been fantastic just as a bridge for all of our new players and our new staff in terms of making everyone feel welcomed to the Dallas way; and then [I’ve] also just appreciated their open-mindedness and their willingness to want to adjust and to make some changes,” Koclanes said.

Still, even with their leadership, Dallas is a long way from where they want to be through the first 10 games.

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With and without Bueckers

Bueckers has missed the last four games. She missed three of those in concussion protocol and missed the fourth game due to illness. There is no guarantee that the Wings would have a couple more wins under their belt if she had played, but her absence from the lineup seemingly negatively affected the team’s gameplay.

With Bueckers out, the team has struggled to fill her point guard position. Ogunbowale has been listed as the starting point guard since Bueckers has been sidelined. DiJonai Carrington and Quinnerly have also taken turns running the point. Backup point guard Ty Harris has missed the last five games with a knee injury, which has made it even more difficult for Dallas to find a better flow on offense.

Ogunbowale told reporters after the loss against Minnesota on June 8 that the team couldn’t have expected things to go perfectly right, and she’s proud of the effort while having to fill holes in the lineup.

“Obviously, it’s been a lot of tough times, but we’re still building. We’re sticking together and everybody is stepping up,” she said. “[Quinerly] had a great game. I think two games in a row she’s showing what she can do, and she’s doing it really well, especially with our point guards out.”

There has not been a timeline set for Bueckers’ return, while Dallas announced on Tuesday that Harris will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing a procedure on her left knee.

Playing small ball

The injuries to Harris and Bueckers aren’t the only thing putting wrinkles in the Wings’ rotations. Dallas will be losing size with centers McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder competing in FIBA Women’s Eurobasket June 18-25. The 6’7 McCowan departed June 7, and Geiselsöder will be heading overseas June 14. Although McCowan has had a significant decrease in minutes this season compared to last, the impact she has had will leave the Wings in a bind. Among Wings players with at least 100 minutes played this season, she is the only one with a positive net rating.

As for Geiselsöder, who had just joined the team for the first time since being drafted in 2020 on May 27, she would otherwise be the potential solution to McCowan’s absence. But she’ll be missing, too.

Without their two centers and two point guards, the Wings will have to find a way to end their five-game skid and try to string some wins together.

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