Dallas Wings Star Named Potential Trade Candidate for Valkyries
The WNBA trade deadline is approaching. Prior to the 2025 season, the league announced Aug. 7 at 3:00 pm EST would be the deadline for all trading, giving teams just over a week to decide whether they want to buy, sell, or stay put.
In their inaugural season, the Golden State Valkyries have an opportunity to become buyers. Currently holding the eighth and final WNBA postseason spot with a record of 11-12, Golden State could be a piece or two away from being a tough out in the playoffs.
In a recent article, Marisa Ingemi of the San Francisco Chronicle named one potential trade target for the Valkyries.
While this article from Ingemi was more analysis than reporting on any potential trade conversations, she named Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale as one player who could make sense for the Valkyries.
“Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale, who is averaging 15.7 points on 34.6% from the field and 30.5% 3-point shooting, could be someone the Wings are willing to part with,” she wrote. “The Valkyries could fit her $249,032 cap hit for the rest of the season. The Wings (6-17) have already been active, trading NaLyssa Smith to Las Vegas, but Ogunbowale is in her seventh season with Dallas and has become the face of the franchise.”
Arike Ogunbowale was efficient in the @DallasWings' 24-PT win over the Storm 🔥
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 23, 2025
20 PTS
3 REB
3 AST
4-6 3PT
7-12 FG#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/McB5ToP90W
A four-time WNBA All-Star, Ogunbowale is averaging 15.9 points and 3.9 assists this season. She won the scoring title in 2020 with a career-high 22.8 points, and has finished top-10 in MVP voting five of her first six seasons in the league.
While Ogunbowale has a decorated resume, she is amid the worst statistical season of her career. Her 15.9 points are a career-low, as is her 36.1% clip from the field. With rookie guard Paige Bueckers amid a historic campaign, Dallas could look to move off her starting backcourt partner.
Why Golden State Could Trade for Arike Ogunbowale
The Valkyries could use an injection of scoring after their leading scorer and lone All-Star Kayla Thornton was ruled out for the season due to knee surgery. Ogunbowale could presumably fill that void, but she is also a guard, whereas Thornton was occupying one of Golden State’s starting forward spots.
Despite their impressive season, the Valkyries rank bottom-four in scoring. Ogunbowale would immediately become their top scoring option, albeit not without some questions on how she would fit into the starting lineup.
With the Wings now 7-18 after losing to Golden State on Friday, being sellers at the trade deadline is a realistic expectation. Golden State’s approach remains to be seen, but with a playoff spot on the line, it would seemingly make sense to add rather than subtract in the next week.
If Ogunbowale becomes available, expect her market to be robust even amid a down year.
Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.