Dallas Wins the Paige Bueckers Sweepstakes

[Rixxx]

That works if Katie Lou isn't drafted by Golden State.

 

[hoophuskee]

Here is the type of offer it would take for Paige.

Indiana receives: Paige Bueckers and Satou Sabally

Dallas receives: Caitlin Clark and Katie Lou Samuelson

I am not even sure I do that deal. But I don’t instantly hang up if that is proposed to me.

Yes a superstar for a superstar. Trying to pass off old past-their prime players and players below her tier isn't the way to go. If the 4th player was projected near Paige I could see.

I have said in the past when arguing about Paige's "posiition" on the court, I felt Paige has been underrated by some UCONN fans - too many - but not some of the posters on here on this thread - frankly posters paco and olddude are amazing. Its okay -we all disagree at times. But wat Paige did last year for example was spectucular. This stuff about knocking her for being "passive" was absurd. Thus trading her for pieces that aren't at similar supreme upper level won't be done. These "pieces" can't duplicate what Paige and another group can do over a stretch run of many years.

 

[Stagnant]

That works if Katie Lou isn't drafted by Golden State.

True. I think Indiana is probably pretty desperately hoping golden state will take Katie Lou since she is a big contract.

 

[baggerbob]

Yes a superstar for a superstar. Trying to pass off old past-their prime players and players below her tier isn't the way to go. If the 4th player was projected near Paige I could see.

I have said in the past when arguing about Paige's "posiition" on the court, I felt Paige has been underrated by some UCONN fans - too many - but not some of the posters on here on this thread - frankly posters paco and olddude are amazing. Its okay -we all disagree at times. But wat Paige did last year for example was spectucular. This stuff about knocking her for being "passive" was absurd. Thus trading her for pieces that aren't at similar supreme upper level won't be done. These "pieces" can't duplicate what Paige and another group can do over a stretch run of many years.

The problem with Dallas is the 2 best players want out Sabally and Howard, that tells you they have a problem. Adding Paige isn't going to solve it. Is there a coach out there who can fix the problem. Maybe someone like Laimbeer.
With him Arike would play his way or sit.

 

[bballnut90]

True. I think Indiana is probably pretty desperately hoping golden state will take Katie Lou since she is a big contract.

If they offload KLS it frees up significant money to sign another top FA or two to par with Clark/Boston and hopefully Mitchell (assuming she re-signs)

 

[hoopsdiva]

Yes a superstar for a superstar. Trying to pass off old past-their prime players and players below her tier isn't the way to go. If the 4th player was projected near Paige I could see.

No way Dallas is going to trade Paige. If anything, they'd trade AO, though if she's as much a problem as fans seem to think they might find very few takers. Maybe there's a team out there trying to get some value from an unrestricted free agent, assuming said UFA who would be willing to come to Dallas to play alongside Paige.

 

[BRS24]

Perhaps Paige will let this all play out, get drafted by Dallas, with some expressed goals, where if not reasonably met in her rookie contract (3 yrs), she will then go elsewhere.

 

[hoophuskee]

The problem with Dallas is the 2 best players want out Sabally and Howard, that tells you they have a problem. Adding Paige isn't going to solve it. Is there a coach out there who can fix the problem. Maybe someone like Laimbeer.
With him Arike would play his way or sit.

If they said this after they won the #1 pick, then I question what they are in it for. Did they say this before or after?

 

[BobbyJ]

Here is the type of offer it would take for Paige.

Indiana receives: Paige Bueckers and Satou Sabally

Dallas receives: Caitlin Clark and Katie Lou Samuelson

I am not even sure I do that deal. But I don’t instantly hang up if that is proposed to me.

The Dallas front office isn't real smart but even they wouldn't do that deal. Samuelson's value isn't close to Sabally's. KLS is a career 38-33% shooter who doesn't contribute much else. Sabally is a career 16 PPG and 7 RPG with better shooting percentages and is a banger inside.

 

[cancontent]

If they said this after they won the #1 pick, then I question what they are in it for. Did they say this before or after?

They both said this well before Trammel was fired. The situation then was different than now. Sabally is no different than Mitchell in comparing their options in free agency for the first time after being with their team for as long as they have.

 

[hoophuskee]

They both said this well before Trammel was fired. The situation then was different than now. Sabally is no different than Mitchell in comparing their options in free agency for the first time after being with their team for as long as they have.

Okay - then this is fine. They've been losing their entre career in WNBA and now have a chance to pick where thye want to go and make more money and potentially win a lot more? That's fine whether they choose to stay or leave.

 

[cancontent]

Okay - then this is fine. They've been losing their entre career in WNBA and now have a chance to pick where thye want to go and make more money and potentially win a lot more? That's fine whether they choose to stay or leave.

Agreed. No one is looking at Mitchell testing free agency as a statement on Indiana's long term future. The same should be considered when it comes to Sabally.

It's their right per the terms of their contract and the collective bargaining agreement that's in place. This could have happened regardless of how their teams fared this season.

 

[DEpup]

I say let's do away with this rich people indentured servant draft process and let all the teams make their best offers.....

 

[Happydad745]

Paige can do and demand what she wants....and yes, the John Elway thing would work. If it does not, she sits out a year from the WNBA and plays in Europe and in the Rivals League.

 

[hoophuskee]

Paige can do and demand what she wants....and yes, the John Elway thing would work. If it does not, she sits out a year from the WNBA and plays in Europe and in the Rivals League.

She can also retire from hoop . . . But she won't.

 

[darrell]

I think Arike just needs a Coach that is zero-tolerance. Arike & Paige can be an even better version of Caitlin & Kelsey Mitchell (with a better supporting cast, dare I say it).

 

[VA Huskie]

As a Dallas resident I'll be happy to watch Paige in person, however, as a Paige fan, i do think that Dallas is the worst team for her in the whole league due to having ball control Arike in charge. The best thing for Dallas would be to trade Arike and build the team around Paige and Satu.

That’s What I’d go for if I were Dallas.

 

[UConnCat]

WNBA mock draft: Bueckers projected No. 1 as Dallas Wings win top pick

The Dallas Wings are on the clock after winning the lottery and the top pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. Paige Bueckers is the projected No. 1.

www.espn.com

Of course, Paige would prefer LA to Dallas. Host of reasons I suspect.

Sources around the league have indicated that the Los Angeles Sparks, who got the number 2 pick in the lottery, would have been Bueckers’ preferred option. . . . But Los Angeles is a gigantic market and a team that could have also used a guard like Bueckers.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

My feelings as I stated above is I didn't want Dallas to get the #1 pick!
But they did!
Paige Bueckers is too classy and respectful a player and person to create any trouble or waves!
She will go to Dallas if chosen and do everything in her power to make Dallas the best franchise in the WNBA!
That's who Paige is!

 

[Scud49]

My feelings as I stated above is I didn't want Dallas to get the #1 pick!
But they did!
Paige Bueckers is too classy and respectful a player and person to create any trouble or waves!
She will go to Dallas if chosen and do everything in her power to make Dallas the best franchise in the WNBA!
That's who Paige is!

True - but I also think Paige is a savvy young business woman. If she felt a deal could be arranged that would be decently beneficial to all, I doubt she would oppose it.....especially if it provided the ticket to her dream landing spot: L.A.

 

[PacoSwede]

My feelings as I stated above is I didn't want Dallas to get the #1 pick!
But they did!
Paige Bueckers is too classy and respectful a player and person to create any trouble or waves!
She will go to Dallas if chosen and do everything in her power to make Dallas the best franchise in the WNBA!
That's who Paige is!

paige would not be less classy or respectful by fighting for the best situation for herself, rather than the best for dallas, the fans, or the wnba. if it's her decision to not make waves, that's her choice, and fine.

Everyone that has any exposure to PB knows that she is incredibly classy indeed and wants the best for basketball -- don't mistake the W for basketball -- and basketball players, which is as it should be. but being straightjacketed into giving higher priority to the W or fans would not be fair to her or the players who play.

curt flood had similar negative feedback for making a principled stand in MLB, for making waves. but he was right to do it -- and the ballplayers and baseball benefited bigly.

 

[Plebe]

What I do know about Paige is that she is very much a “everything happens for a reason” type of person.

I'll take that handoff and run with it: The grand "reason" Dallas won the lottery was to send a message to Paige that she'll be much happier in the short, medium, and long terms if she waits it out another year in Storrs. She's already making bank through NIL; her rookie W salary is a drop in the bucket. (Note to Paige: Happiness matters!)

Dallas is a toxic setting. Given the choice between being trapped there and being arrested in a hostile foreign country, I'd have to think about it.

 

[Martinj481]

Find it interesting no comment or post from Paige. Her and Azzi need to come back for another year!

 

[Dugway]

True - but I also think Paige is a savvy young business woman. If she felt a deal could be arranged that would be decently beneficial to all, I doubt she would oppose it.....especially if it provided the ticket to her dream landing spot: L.A.

Are we sure that Los Angeles is her Dream Spot? Has there been anyone who has actually heard that come out of her mouth, or is this just speculation on our part? Or, what we all think as 'if given the choice between ....'?

I personally would think (and I have not heard her say this), that her 'Dream Spot' would be with the franchise in her hometown, Minneapolis, MN. Her parents are both gone from there, Dorka will likely be in San Francisco next year as well, and yet I still believe that of the dozen teams, if she were ranking them, #1 would be the Lynx.

 

[hoophuskee]

I'll take that handoff and run with it: The grand "reason" Dallas won the lottery was to send a message to Paige that she'll be much happier in the short, medium, and long terms if she waits it out another year in Storrs. She's already making bank through NIL; her rookie W salary is a drop in the bucket. (Note to Paige: Happiness matters!)

Dallas is a toxic setting. Given the choice between being trapped there and being arrested in a hostile foreign country, I'd have to think about it.

If I were Paige no doubt I'd go to Dallas. I get my dream of playing in the pros. All the time I spent working through my injuires, all my hard work has paid off and praying that all would be alright. And now I have my dream to play pro ball and compete and be measured among my peers. Too much to pass.