For the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, this brief offseason was pivotal for the state of their potential dynasty.
The negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement proved to take longer than anticipated, wreaking havoc on an offseason that was already in a state of flux. Many players on the Aces, as well as across the WNBA, shied away from signing new contracts, leaving general manager Nikki Fargas with very little guarantees heading into the spring. To make matters more uncertain, one of the few players on a contract in Aaliyah Nye was scooped up by the Toronto Tempo in the WNBA expansion draft, putting the Aces on the back foot before they could even get their own players back.
It was a challenge to navigate the chaos of an unprecedented offseason, and very few people would have been surprised to see the Aces gutted as a result.
However, the exact opposite ended up happening, as the Aces retained the majority of the roster that guided them to their third championship in four years. From the longstanding core of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray to key depth pieces, the Aces retained 90% of their scoring depth from last season’s roster. The only notable losses in free agency were Kiah Stokes and Megan Gustafson, and those were quickly offset by former All-Defense star Brianna Turner, three-time Olympian Stephanie Talbot, and former top-five pick Chennedy Carter.
“I think, obviously, the amount of great players I have on this team and wanting to play with them. I played with Jewell Loyd and I have a good relationship with her, so that was also positive,” said Talbot during her Media Day interview about what brought her to Las Vegas.
“But I think my conversations with [Aces head coach Becky [Hammon], how she sees the game, how she sees I can fit into this team, and like the way that they you guys build your culture here, like it's fun. We work hard. There's a winning culture. But yeah, they like to have fun as well.”
The nucleus of the team has been one of the most consistent in the WNBA, with Wilson, Young and Gray leading the charge for all three championships. Wilson and Young were drafted by the Aces first overall in 2018 and 2019, respectively, while Gray signed in Las Vegas as a free agent in 2021. Since then, the three have remained at the core of the Aces, breaking records and now having their team on the verge of history as the first team to win back-to-back championships on two separate occasions.
“A’ja and Chelsea are two of my best friends. Obviously, I spent my whole career with A and then I don't even know how many years to spend with Chelsea, but yeah, just continue to build that relationship, both on and off the court,” said Young about the core.
“You know, obviously we have a lot of trust on the court, you know, just obviously playing with Chelsea, you know, passes that she makes in the way that she reads the game. Then obviously we play with A, the best player in the world. So just being able to play with two of the best, you know, it's pretty special.”
Even the recent arrivals to the Aces got their first taste of the culture and made the decision to stay.
Take Jewell Loyd, who was the major acquisition last season in the three-way trade that saw Kelsey Plum head to the Los Angeles Sparks. It was a challenging first season in Las Vegas for the six-time All-Star at points, but she eventually found her groove coming off the bench. However, Loyd took pride in the challenge to improve, and the Aces were able to sign her to a three-year deal to keep her in the desert for the foreseeable future.
“I think it comes from the top down, the honesty that Becky has and to have a coach that's just real. She’s not afraid to tell us the truth. I think that's really important; not more people tell you what you don’t really want to hear but they kind of give you bits and pieces of the truth, and that's how it's going to…make you great,” said Loyd.
Loyd was not the only player to express the sentiment, as other players like NaLyssa Smith and Dana Evans elected to stay with the Aces in the pursuit of another championship.
“Our chemistry is everything here. And I always say it starts with the leaders. It starts with A’ja, and it starts with Becky. We have great leadership, and the way A’ja sets the tone with on the court and off the court, all you gotta do is follow, like making sure that we're on top of everything. And our chemistry has been good because we do team bonding and things, we actually enjoy each other,” said Evans about how the culture influenced her decision to return to the Aces.
The Aces have built a culture on mutual respect, but also one where every player acknowledges the standard that they hold themselves by. Every player has to buy in to the mission of winning championships, and that accountability has continued to show itself even during training camp and the preseason.
“I think what’s impressed me most is the buy in from one to thirteen. We have all been locked in on the goal, which is to win another championship, and to have that so early on, to have the buy in, to have the come together, I think that it's a special thing,” said forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, who also re-signed with the Aces this offseason.
“I think that this is a special group once again, and I'm excited to be a part of it.”
That buy in is going to be crucial on May 9, when the Aces earn their championship rings before a Finals rematch against the Phoenix Mercury. After the quick reminiscence, the hunt begins for another taste at glory.