The first in-season blockbuster of the WNBA season is upon us. Out of pretty much nowhere, the Las Vegas Aces acquired NaLyssa Smith from the Dallas Wings for a 2027 first-round pick, per releases from both teams.
On paper, it's not hard to see the vision for either team here. Vegas is currently 8-8, a disappointing start considering how dominant they've been in years past. So adding Smith, who is having a down year in Dallas but did have some great moments in Indiana, is a win-now move for a team that should, based on its roster, be far better than .500.
Dallas, meanwhile, has fully embraced building for the future, and getting a first-rounder is almost always a good idea.
Trade grades for Aces, Wings after surprising NaLyssa Smith deal
I get what Las Vegas is doing here, and I'm happy to see Smith head to a team where she's likely to fit better than she did in her short stint in Dallas. But still... that's a hefty return, with no disrespect at all to Smith, who has shown she can be a very good player in the W.
With that being said; Vegas is now without first-round picks in the next two drafts. They sacrificed their 2026 first-rounder in the Kelsey Plum / Jewell Lloyd deal, and now give up their 2027 first-rounder for Smith. They also didn't have a first-rounder in this year's draft because they had to forfeit it to the league. Three straight years without a first-round pick is a tough pill to swallow, no matter how good the Aces think they can be today.
This trade is essentially the team showing that is believes this roster can compete for a title now. I just... don't think it necessarily can, and I don't know if Smith alone changes that. The team will be better with Smith in the lineup. But will it be better enough to justify getting rid of another first-rounder? I don't think so.
So while I do see the motive in the move, I think it's a little irresponsible to be throwing around first-round picks like this when the team has underperformed pretty significantly this year. This pick could be valuable.
For Dallas — I love it! Smith didn't provide what the Wings were hoping, so they added an asset. A savvy move that might not feel like much now, but could look great in the future when Dallas is ready to win. Paige Bueckers is an obvious star in the making, but this year's Wings team isn't close to competing with the league's elite teams. These are the kinds of moves that hope to change that in the near-ish future.