The Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings finalized a preseason trade on Saturday with the Dream acquiring the 2020 WNBA Rookie of the Year in Crystal Dangerfield, the team announced. In addition to the trade, the Dream waived Elizabeth Balogun and Taja Cole as well.

The Dream are coming off a 2023 season that saw them eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Wings. In the offseason, star player Rhyne Howard took up coaching at Florida. As part of the trade, the Dream sent a third round pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft to the Wings.

While Crystal Dangerfield is a former Rookie of the Year, it's not guaranteed that she'll make the Dream roster. She has an unprotected contract and she's likely competing with Destanni Henderson for the Dream's final roster spot.

Dangerfield was originally drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. During her rookie year in 2020, she averaged 16.2 points per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the three point line.

Dangerfield played two seasons for the Lynx before they cut her during 2022 training camp. She split the 2022 season between the Indiana Fever and New York Liberty before being traded to the Wings in the 2023 offseason. Last year, she appeared in 35 games for the Wings including 32 starts at a little over 27 minutes per game. She averaged 8.2 points per game, 2.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists with splits of 42.5 percent shooting from the field, 29 percent shooting from the three point line and 81.5 percent shooting from the free throw line.

Tanisha Wright and the Dream are looking to win this season

Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright yells to the team during the first half of a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena.
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

 

Perhaps the biggest indication as to what the Dream's plans are for this season came during the 2024 WNBA Draft. Although the Dream had three draft picks at No. 12, No. 20 and No. 32, it was announced that all three selections in Nyadiew Puoch, Isobel Borlase and Matilde Villa would remain overseas for the 2024 WNBA season.

The Dream had no intention of bringing that many rookies to training camp and having the fight for a roster spot. This is a veteran heavy team looking to make a playoff run. This ensures that the Dream retain the rights to those players for the future.

The Dream had a semi-busy offseason. Their top acquisition was point guard Jordin Canada whom they acquired in a sign and trade with the Los Angeles Sparks. Canada is likely going to be the team's starting point guard.

They also fortified their frontcourt depth by re-signing Nia Coffey and adding former Hall of Famer Tina Charles. Charles had been out of the league last season. They also added wing depth by bringing in Aerial Powers.

The Dream will likely roll out a starting lineup of Canada and Allisha Gray in the backourt, Rhyne Howard and Tina Charles as the forwards and Cheyenne Parker at center. This will be Tanisha Wright's third year at the helm. During her first season in 2022, the Dream finished with a record of 14-22 and missed the playoffs. Last season they finished 19-21 and lost in the first round.