Angel Reese Had Three Words After Big WNBA Trade on Sunday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Days before the WNBA trade deadline, the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (24-5) went big by acquiring DiJonai Carrington in a trade with the Dallas Wings.
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The move sparked a wave of reactions around the WNBA, including from Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, who played against Carrington in Unrivaled this year.
Angel Reese Reacts to DiJonai Carrington Trade
Carrington, 27, had been the subject of trade rumors since the Wings traded her girlfriend, NaLyssa Smith, to the Aces on June 30.
Carrington is averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season.
The 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player posted a cryptic message on Instagram on Saturday night, and by Sunday morning, the deal was announced.
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It inspired a supportive three-word response by Reese, who commented “happy for you” on the same Instagram post after seeing the disgruntled guard get traded to a title contender.
The circumstances are not as great for Reese right now. Chicago (7-20) has the second-worst record in the league and tied with Dallas (8-21) 6 1/2 games out of the last WNBA playoff spot.
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) smiles during a WNBA game.© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Minnesota Lynx Make DiJonai Carrington Trade
Below are the details of the trade between the Lynx and the Wings.
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Minnesota Lynx receive:
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DiJonai Carrington, guard
Dallas Wings receive:
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2027 second-round draft pick
The Wings waived 6-foot-7 center Teaira McCowan in order to facilitate the trade.
Does the DiJonai Carrington Trade Make the Lynx Better?
There was not much room for improvement for a Lynx team that holds a six-game lead atop the WNBA standings and has lost five games all season. However, Carrington was one of the best players on the trade market.
By acquiring Carrington, the Lynx doubled down on their biggest strength: defense. No team allows fewer points per game than Minnesota (75.4). Now the Lynx have added a 2024 first-team WNBA All-Defense selection with the ability to guard multiple positions, the 5-foot-11 Carrington.
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Being able to stick Carrington on the other team’s best scorer will have a massive benefit in the playoffs. She proved it last year with the Connecticut Sun by shutting down Caitlin Clark (36 points on 14-for-40 shooting) in a first-round sweep of the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA playoffs.
Coach Cheryl Reeve will have to work out where Carrington fits in the rotation with typical backcourt starters Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride, but figuring out how to add another talented piece to the star-studded roster around MVP favorite Napheesa Collier is a problem any coach would like to have.
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It’s no surprise Angel Reese was so thrilled for her WNBA colleague.
Related: Angel Reese Turns Heads With New Demands for Chicago Sky
Related: WNBA Team Releases 6-Foot-7 Veteran After Indiana Fever Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
