Dallas Wings Acquire Li Yueru, Waive Kaila Charles
To make room for the acquisition of Li Yueru, Wings waive Kaila Charles.
The Dallas Wings have waived Kaila Charles, the team announced today. The 6’1” forward averaged 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 11 appearances this season.
The roster move is required to make room for Li Yueru, who was acquired from the Seattle Storm in exchange for two future draft selections, the team announced today. The Storm will receive Dallas’ 2026 Second Round pick, which includes the right to swap with the Connecticut Sun, and Dallas’ 2027 Third Round pick, which includes the right to swap with the Indiana Fever.
The 6’7” center, brings size, anbil to space the floor and experience to Dallas. The Wings are needing front court help as Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder are overseas for EuroBasket. The opportunity for extended minutes with the Wings, gives Yueru a chance to establish herself in the WNBA, following her trade request from the Seattle Storm. Yueru struggled to find a consistent role playing behind Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga, averaging under 10 minutes per game in limited action.
Yueru requested a trade in hopes of finding more playing time and a system that better fits her skill set. With consistent minutes, she’ll have the chance to get consistent minutes, display her full potential, and prove she belongs in the WNBA long term. For a player still working to find her rhythm in the league, Dallas offers the fresh start she needs to turn an opportunity into young piece of the Wings core moving forward.
Over nine games in Seattle this season, she is shooting 50-percent from three and nearly 92-percent from the free-throw line. Yueru landed in Seattle after being traded from the Los Angeles Sparks this past February. She spent the 2024 season in LA, appearing in 38 games and averaging 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. Her 89.8-percent free-throw percentage ranked third in the WNBA.