3x WNBA champion unexpectedly exits Dallas Wings after team fails to reach playoffs

The Dallas Wings’ disappointing 2024 campaign ended with a brutal nine-game losing streak. They finished the season with a 9-31 slate, the second-worst record in the WNBA. After reaching the semifinals last year, the team’s front office, players and fans must be shell-shocked with how this season ended.

A day after the end of the season, three-time WNBA champ Natasha Howard, who had a key part in the Wings’ success last season, announced she would not be back in 2025. She is now an unrestricted free agent after the four-year deal she signed in 2021 with the Seattle Storm had run out.

“I would like to thank the Dallas Wings for two great years. It has been a wonderful opportunity to play for this franchise and in front of our loyal fans. I’ve enjoyed playing alongside my teammates and wish them all the best.

“Free agency is upon us and I am focused on exploring every option. I look forward to this chapter with a new team and a new city.”

Natasha Howard arrived in Dallas from New York following a four-team trade that involved eight other players. Jonquel Jones took over her spot with the Liberty.

Howard averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds last season as the Wings lost to the eventual-champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.

She played in 27 games this season, averaging 17.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game.

---

Injuries were a big reason for the Dallas Wings’ struggles

Natasha Howard broke her foot one day into the Dallas Wings’ season. Howard played 36 minutes in the Wings’ 87-79 win over the Chicago Sky. She returned over a month later, coincidentally against the Sky again on June 5. Dallas had a 3-11 record when Howard returned.

Howard wasn’t the only key contributor who spent a long time on the sidelines. Satou Sabally, the 2023 WNBA Most Improved Player, didn’t suit up with the team until after the Olympics.

When the Dallas Wings roster was eventually healthy, the final stretch of the regular season was too much for them. They had back-to-back wins against the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, the No. 1 and No. 2 seed teams in the playoffs, but could not sustain their play.

The nine consecutive losses to end the season had to be painful for Wings fans after starting the year with so much promise. They hope to see a much better performance from their team in 2025.

Natasha Howard might not be the only star to leave Dallas in the offseason. Satou Sabally, another unrestricted free agent, will have no shortage of offers. Dallas has its work cut out for them to be more competitive next year.