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Las Vegas Aces re-sign Sugar Rodgers

By Ben Dull

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 02: Sugar Rodgers #14 of the Las Vegas Aces guards Courtney Williams #10 of the Connecticut Sun during their game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 2, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sun defeated the Aces 80-74. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images )
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 02: Sugar Rodgers #14 of the Las Vegas Aces guards Courtney Williams #10 of the Connecticut Sun during their game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 2, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sun defeated the Aces 80-74. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images ) /
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Sugar re-ups for a second year in Vegas

The Las Vegas Aces re-signed unrestricted free agent guard Sugar Rodgers on Tuesday.

“Sugar is a premier three-ball threat, as well as a solid defender who knows our system,” Aces head coach and president of basketball operations Bill Laimbeer said in a team release. “Sugar has also embraced the Las Vegas community, and is the type of player, and person, that we want representing the Aces.”

Rodgers appeared in 38 regular season and playoff games last season, her first with the Aces after five years with the New York Liberty. (Laimbeer was the head coach in New York for four of those five seasons before accepting his current position in Las Vegas.)

The Aces acquired Rodgers from New York first by sending 2017 draftee Nia Coffey to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick. Vegas then dealt that pick to New York in exchange for Rodgers. Finding more 3-point shooters was a priority for Laimbeer and general manager Dan Padover heading into the 2019 season.

Rodgers shot 35.7 percent from deep last season on 2.5 3-point attempts per game. In her age-26 season in New York in 2016, she finished second in both 3-point makes (86) and attempts (208). The seven-year WNBA veteran gives the Aces a proven, reliable 3-point threat off the bench behind All-Star shooting guard Kayla McBride.

As of Wednesday, the Aces have nine players under contract through at least 2020, including seven members of last season’s roster that advanced to the semifinals: Rodgers, McBride, Dearica Hamby, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and JiSu Park. The club added unrestricted free agents Angel McCoughtry and Danielle Robinson in the first week of free agency.

All-WNBA center Liz Cambage is a restricted free agent. Tamera Young, Carolyn Swords and Epiphanny Prince are unrestricted free agents.

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