Dallas Wings' NaLyssa Smith expresses shock over being traded to Las Vegas Aces in exchange for 2027 1st-round pick

CBS News

30-06-2025

An unexpected trade was announced by the Dallas Wings on Monday. The team has traded its starting forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft.
Smith took to social media to express her shock. "Sick to my stomach, dawg, never seen this coming…" But Smith, a Texas native, said she loved 'Dallas Nation' and thanked the fans for "everything."
However, in a separate post, she said if she had to go anywhere, she's happy it was Vegas.
on another note tho if i could've chose anywhere to go it would've been vegas so hella excited 4 this new opportunity wit my goat . 🙂‍↔️🤝🏾 — #1 (@NaLyssaSmith) June 30, 2025
To complete the trade, Dallas was also required to release guard Kaila Charles, who signed a hardship contract on June 17.
Smith was excited to play for the Wings
Smith, who was selected as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever, spent her first three seasons there and finished sixth in the league in rebounds in 2024.
Smith was acquired by Dallas ahead of this year's draft in one of the biggest trades in WNBA history that brought her, DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris and Myisha Hines-Allen to the team.
"I feel like just coming in and doing what I know to do," she said during an introductory press conference in March. Dallas has "a great staff around me to improve in every field that I can."
She was also a big fan of Wing star guard Arike Ogunbowale. "I've been a fan of hers since college," said Smith.
Wings have had a rough start
Despite the excitement around the new players, including rookie Paige Bueckers, and the new coaching staff, the Wings have had a rough start to the season with a 5-13 record. The team is 12th overall in the WNBA standings out of 13 teams, and last in the Western Conference.
In her first 18 games, Smith was averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds.