5. Dallas Wings
Dallas is finally seeing the fruits of its rebuild. The Wings sit fourth in the W with a 18-9 record, which is one victory less than the previous two seasons combined, where they ended up picking first in both drafts. Led by Paige Bueckers and sidekick Azzi Fudd, along with Jess Sheppard and Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings entered the break winning seven of their last eight.
The Wings shoot the ball well and are the WNBA’s top passing team, leading the league in both assists and fewest turnovers. They are also the W’s top defensive rebounding team, though are only average on the offensive glass.
While the Wings rank fourth in offensive efficiency and sixth defensively — one of four teams along with the Lynx, Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty in the league ranked in the top six in both categories — they truly have issues on that end of the floor. Their opponents are shooting 46.6% from the field and 34.9% from the 3-point line.
Dallas has shown that they can win games a variety of ways. But the Wings have struggled against the top echelon of the league, with eight of their setbacks coming against teams with a .500-plus record. For the Wings to be a true contender this year, and they are likely at least a year away from the moniker, they need to fix their defensive structure and add shooters to their frontcourt.
The Wings’ biggest need is a point-of-attack defender, as opposing guards get downhill at will. The Wings also could use a true floor general; while Bueckers can handle the duties and is a low-mistake decision-maker, she is much better off the ball. Plus, if they can acquire a lead guard, Fudd could come off the bench and stabilize the second unit.
6. Atlanta Dream
The Dream, coming off its best season in franchise history, has been shaky this year despite having one of the best starting lineups in the league with Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada and Allisha Gray. The Dream, 9-8 against teams with a .500+ record, won three straight to close the first half but were still only 4-6 over their last 10.
Atlanta ranks fourth in offensive rating but shoots poorly, and sixth defensively, though they rank last in defensive field goal percentage. The Dream do outstanding work on the glass, particularly on the offensive end, and get to the free throw line. However, they often get stagnant on the offensive end, relying on Howard or Gray to create. While the Dream struggle to protect the rim, they do create turnovers.
Brionna Jones, who dealt with a right knee injury for most of the first half, made her debut on July 17. Still, the Dream need to add floor spacers as teams pack the paint, making it difficult for Canada, Howard, and Gray to do what they do best. They also need to add a backup point guard.
