A device receives performance profiles associated with multiple available distributed units (DUs) of a wireless station, where each of the performance profiles is based on at least one of a network slice or a quality of service (QoS) handled by each respective DU of the multiple available DUs. The device selects a first DU of the multiple available DUs based on the performance profiles, obtains a user equipment's (UE's) user profile and a network performance requirement of the application associated with transport involving the UE, and selects a first user plane function of multiple distributed user plane functions for transport along a first transport path, that includes the selected DU, based on the user profile and the network performance requirements of the application. The device initiates data transport involving the UE via the selected first DU and the selected first user plane function, over the first transport path.