The Dallas Wings announced a roster move on Thursday. With the WNBA regular season right around the corner, the Wings’ final roster is beginning to take shape. On Thursday, the Wings waived guard Katrina Pardee, the team announced.
The final date to cut down the roster is May 13. Dallas had just one preseason game. Evaluating the roster can be a challenge with just one preseason contest, but Dallas is making moves that they feel are best for the team.
The Wings signed both Pardee and Jaelyn Brown to training camp contracts during the offseason. Brown impressed during the Wings’ preseason game, which resulted in a 79-76 victory over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. She ultimately led the Wings with 21 points on 7-15 shooting from the field and 3-7 shooting from beyond the arc.
Pardee, meanwhile, saw just two minutes of action and went 0-2 from the field. It will be interesting to see what Pardee’s WNBA future has in store.
After graduating from West Virginia in 2019, she played overseas. Pardee displayed signs of stardom during her international career. The Wings ended up signing her to a training camp deal. Although Dallas probably would have preferred to keep her on the roster, they needed to make a move.
Pardee’s ceiling should lead to interest from other teams around the league.
Dallas Wings’ 2024 outlook
The Wings reached the playoffs in 2023. They feature a talented roster with potential. However, Satou Sabally, who finished fifth in WNBA MVP voting last season, is expected to miss the first part of the new campaign due to an injury. Dallas is hopeful that she will return at some point in August.
Sabally is confident in the Wings nonetheless. Arike Ogunbowale is a superstar who is more than capable of leading the team. In fact, she may even make a serious run at winning the WNBA MVP Award during the 2024 season.
We mentioned Jaelyn Brown’s big preseason performance. She may end up playing a pivotal role in 2024. Rookie Jacy Sheldon, who was selected fifth overall in the WNBA Draft, has a high-ceiling as well.
Sabally believes Dallas can take a step forward following their 2023 postseason disappointment.
“Obviously (the 2023 season) didn’t end how we want, but I think our team was just so good,” Sabally said during a recent interview, via reporter Casey Buscher. “Obviously we didn’t peak at the end but now we know what it takes to peak… That is the goal for the future and I’m super excited about that.”
Teams such as the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty are expected to contend at a high level once again. Meanwhile, star rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have placed more attention on the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky.
But the Wings should not be overlooked. This is a team with potential, and they could make some noise during the ’24 campaign. The WNBA season is going to feature no shortage of excitement and the Wings will be a team to closely follow.
