The Dallas Wings are set to have a very good shot to win the draft lottery and earn the chance to draft UCLA big Lauren Betts, a potentially game-changing move that could propel Paige Bueckers and her teammates to the next level. But, what if the Wings come up just a bit short in the lottery?
Missing out on Betts would be disappointing, but one current Wings player is showing that maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world. Maybe the future center for the Wings is already on the roster.
Li Yueru has flashed some major potential since the Wings traded for her. Could she be a key part of the future for Dallas?
The Li Yueru trade keeps looking better
The Dallas Wings have shown themselves to be a team down for some wheeling and dealing this season. This was most notably highlighted when the team traded NaLyssa Smith for a 2027 first-round pick.
But the team's trade with Seattle for center Li Yueru might have been an even better move. Dallas traded a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick to the Storm for Li, a player who hadn't shown much between her 2022 season in Chicago and 2024 season in Los Angeles.
That's changed in Dallas. After mostly riding the bench in Seattle to start the year, Li hs started six of the nine games she's played with the Wings since the trade. Her numbers have been up and down, with her overall averages being 8.0 points and 7.3 rebounds on 40.4 percent shooting.
But gmaes like Wednesday's loss to the Sky have highlighted why Li has the potential to be a huge part of this team going forward. She played 31 minutes, scoring 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds. Li was 4-for-7 from 3-point range, showcasing her ability to step outside and score.
There are still things about Li's game that need cleaned up. She looks like a perfect stretch big, but you still would like to see her show more inside on offense. She has struggled big time around the basket, shooting 38.1 percent in the restricted area. That ranks 108th out of 110 qualifying players, which is obviously bad.
But what if the Wings add Betts — or some other high-upside center — in the offseason and used Li full-time in a stretch four role? Her ability to knock down shots from the outside would be a great way to help space the floor for the Bueckers-Betts duo, and having a big like that on the floor would help cover up some of Li's deficiencies.
Look: There's no guarantee that Li is a future WNBA star, but Dallas' decision to trade for her keeps looking smarter and smarter. She could be a huge part of this next generation of Wings basketball.