One savvy lineup change may be all it takes for Dream to reach the next level

The Atlanta Dream is enjoying a strong season with a 12-7 record, having defeated top teams like the Fever, Storm, and Liberty. While the additions of Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner have significantly boosted Allisha Gray’s offensive impact, analysts suggest a lineup change could elevate the team further: starting Naz Hillmon over Brittney Griner.

The current starting lineup (Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, and Brittney Griner) has logged over 100 minutes but produced only a 1.0 net rating. In contrast, the lineup featuring Hillmon instead of Griner—Gray, Jones, Canada, Howard, and Hillmon—achieved a 30.3 net rating over 64 minutes. Atlanta’s best-performing lineups consistently include the trio of Gray, Howard, and Jones, with Hillmon’s presence further enhancing production.

Playing two traditional bigs like Jones and Griner is increasingly challenging in the modern WNBA due to limited floor spacing. Jones shoots just 21.4% from three on low volume, whereas Hillmon has transformed into a reliable perimeter threat, hitting 35.2% of her 2.8 three-point attempts per game. Hillmon’s spacing allows Jones more room to operate effectively in the paint.

Though Griner and Jones offer a size advantage against specific opponents, Hillmon’s versatility provides greater overall flexibility. Hillmon already leads all reserves in fourth-quarter minutes and often closes games, indicating coach Karl Smesko’s trust. Promoting her to the starting lineup is framed as a strategic adjustment to maximize the team’s potential, emphasizing the limitations of dual-big lineups rather than a critique of Griner individually.