It’s a new era for the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces.
Coming off of a championship, the Aces are back to square one under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Under this new agreement, players get more pay with salary increases across the board.
When it comes to free agents this year, most players have contracts that have ended. Stars like A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Napheesa Collier, and Alyssa Thomas are free agents going into the 2026 season. Futures are up in the air as negotiations take place.
When it comes to the Aces, they look to seek their fourth championship and second back-to-back win. However, with contracts expiring and the draft just a few days away, all cards are on the table.
What do they need to do to ensure the house continues to win?
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Keep the core
The Aces spent years developing their core of Wilson, Young, and Chelsea Gray. They’ve built their culture around those three, which led to success with multiple accolades and three championships.
After being drafted in 2018, Wilson played a critical role in the Aces organization.
The four-time MVP is a three-time WNBA champion and has two Olympic gold medals. Wilson not only impacted Las Vegas with her game, but she has impacted the league and even the world.
She made a name for herself in Las Vegas, and is expected to stay an Ace. Shortly after new CBA negotiations were announced, rumors spread that she would be signing a supermax deal, which will increase her salary to $1.4 million.
Young was dubbed the “silent assassin” with her quiet demeanor and critical playmaking skills. Not only can she shoot from beyond the arc, she is also aggressive and physical in the paint.
The four-time All-Star is known for being a clutch player. For example, in the 2025 playoffs, she sunk the last shot against the Seattle Storm, allowing the Aces to move on in the playoffs.
“Special Agent Zero” averaged 16.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. She hit 30 points in multiple games, including two playoff games.
Dubbed the “Point Gawd,” Chelsea Gray has been a very pivotal part of this Aces core. As the point guard, she guides the Aces into formation as their play gets set up.
She is known for unique passes, including behind-the-back passes, no-look passes, and over-the-head passes. Her assists have become a critical part of her game. She averaged 5.4 assists per game in the regular season, and 7.3 in the postseason.
Her game has influenced different players, including TCU’s Olivia Miles with her behind the back passes.
If the Aces want to maintain that culture of success and sisterhood, the Aces need to maintain their core and leadership. These core three players have been a part of the team through thick and thin.
As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Get draft picks
Looking ahead to the 2026 draft, the Aces have no first round picks for the second year in a row.
When they get second round picks, they are not known for drafting well-known names. In 2024, it was Kate Martin. At the draft in 2025, it was Aaliyah Nye.
This year, the Aces have the 29th pick in the second round and the 44th pick in the third round.
This is also the second year in a row where their draft pick was taken by an expansion team, as Nye was selected by the Toronto Tempo.
When the Aces traded for NaLyssa Smith, they gave away their 2027 first round pick. With that trade, that will be the third year in a row that the Aces do not have a first round pick.
With their current roster, they have a chance to get a few first round picks from different teams, depending on who they trade. For their interest, and to develop a better future, they could collect draft picks, and build up their roster.
Their current core, aside from Chelsea Gray, were drafted first overall – A’ja Wilson was the number one pick in 2018, and so was Jackie Young in 2019. With top players going into the future classes, the Aces should make attempts to get first round draft picks and develop their future.
Solidify the Bench
At the beginning of the season, the Aces struggled with bench play. There were a few players scoring off the bench, such as Dana Evans, who was explosive off of the bench.
The Aces also dealt with injuries, including Megan Gustafson, Wilson, and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, who was out for maternity leave.
Reflecting on the 2025 season, the Minnesota Lynx had one of the best benches in the league. They had the depth they needed to succeed. With players like Courtney Williams and Natisha Heideman, the Lynx sought after the title. They became title favorites early in the season as the Aces struggled to keep up.
Things changed when Jewell Loyd decided to move to the bench. She found her game and allowed the starters to take over. Loyd averaged 11.2 points per game along with 3.2 rebounds 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals.
Since that shift, she became a critical leader for the players on the bench. The bench improved as players came back from injury, and secured their third title.
With this year’s free agency and draft coming up, the Aces need to keep that bench strong. While the starters may steal the show, a deep bench can help secure playoff runs and championships, just as they have in the past.
This year’s free agency will be nothing short of chaotic. Big names could make headlines with blockbuster deals. Stars could make drastic moves, such as Angel Reese going to the Atlanta Dream as a part of a trade.
Only time will tell as the Aces look to secure their fourth championship, going back-to-back again.