DHJ Quick Take: Dallas Wings Waive Guard JJ Quinerly
The Dallas Wings waived guard JJ Quinerly on Sunday, parting with the 2025 third-round pick just days after she returned from offseason knee surgery.
- What’s the move? Dallas waived Quinerly, the 27th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, days after she made her first appearance since Aug. 20, 2025.
- What did she provide? Quinerly averaged 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range across 34 games as a rookie before a torn meniscus ended her season, and she added 1.0 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 2 games after returning this year.
- Why does it matter? The move thins Dallas’ backcourt with veteran guard Odyssey Sims sidelined by an ankle injury.
- What’s next? Under the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the Wings have 72 hours to return to the 12-player minimum if the waiver left them short, whether by signing, trade, or replacement contract.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings have waived guard JJ Quinerly, the team announced Sunday.
Quinerly was selected by the Wings 27th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The West Virginia graduate appeared in 34 games during her rookie season in Dallas, making 13 starts. She averaged 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 steals while shooting 42.6% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range.
Since 2000, Quinerly is just the fourth player drafted in the third round to average at least 6.0 points and 2.0 assists during a rookie season, and just the third to also shoot better than 40% from the field.
Quinerly appeared in two games for the Wings this season, averaging 1.0 points and 1.0 assists.
The move comes at a time when veteran guard Odyssey Sims remains sidelined with an ankle injury, thinning Dallas’ backcourt depth.
What the Waiver Means for the Dallas Wings’ Roster
Under the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, every team must carry 12 players. If a waiver drops a club below that minimum, the CBA gives it 72 hours from the moment the roster fell short to get back to 12, whether through a signing, a trade, or a replacement contract.
A team can avoid the clock altogether by pairing the waiver with a corresponding move that keeps the roster at 12. The league does not require a team to sign a player simply because it waived one, but any transaction that leaves a roster short must be corrected within three days.
JJ Quinerly’s Path Back From Knee Surgery
The move comes just days after Quinerly returned to game action. She tore the meniscus in her left knee during a game against the Los Angeles Sparks last season, an injury that ended her rookie year, and underwent surgery on Oct. 2, 2025. Quinerly made her first appearance in nearly nine months Tuesday, recording 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 block in 10 minutes of a 100-76 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, her first time on the floor since Aug. 20, 2025.
“It just feels good to be back out there on the court,” Quinerly said after that game. “I’ve been out for a good nine months now, so it feels good to be out there.”
A two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year at West Virginia, Quinerly closed her college career third in program history in both scoring and steals.
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- Dallas Wings Rule Out Paige Bueckers Against Portland Fire Out Of ‘Caution’
- Paige Bueckers Questionable For Dallas Wings At Portland; Odyssey Sims Remains Out
- ‘One Of The Best In The World’: Paige Bueckers Erupts For Season-High 31 To Lead Dallas Wings’ Response vs. Phoenix Mercury
- ‘Feels Good To Be Back Out There’: JJ Quinerly Makes Long-Awaited Return For Dallas Wings
