The Dallas Wings underwent a major roster overhaul this offseason, hoping to climb back into WNBA relevance after two brutal seasons. But early returns suggest a troubling pattern is emerging around their franchise cornerstone, Paige Bueckers.

While the Wings' struggles in 2024 and 2025 did land them back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks, the team now faces growing scrutiny as a third head coach in three years tries to make the pieces fit. New coach Jose Fernandez has already drawn criticism for his handling of top pick Azzi Fudd, with fans questioning why the team would select a player who isn't ready for immediate impact minutes.

But the more pressing concern might be bubbling beneath the surface with Bueckers herself. The second-year All-Star had a tough night by her standards in Tuesday's 77-72 home-opening loss to the Atlanta Dream, scoring 15 points on 12 shots as Dallas managed just 13 points in the fourth quarter.

One loss to a legitimate contender like Atlanta isn't cause for alarm. The Dream are genuine title threats, while the Wings are still assembling their powerhouse roster. What should worry Wings fans is Bueckers' surprisingly low usage rate through the first two games of the season.

When Bueckers is on the floor, she's finishing just 18.3 percent of Dallas' offensive possessions—meaning less than one in five plays end with the ball in her hands. That ranks her fifth on the team, trailing Arike Ogunbowale (26.9%), Aziaha James (25.9%), Odyssey Sims (22.7%), and even center Alanna Smith (19.0%).

For a player of Bueckers' caliber—a generational talent who dominated at UConn and earned All-Star honors as a rookie—being the fifth option on offense is a red flag. The Wings invested heavily in building around her, but the early returns suggest they haven't figured out how to make her the focal point of the attack.

Dallas has time to adjust. The season is young, and chemistry takes time to develop. But if this trend continues, the Wings will need to address it quickly—before what should be a promising future turns into another frustrating chapter.