Chennedy Carter's turbulent WNBA journey has taken a new twist as she has been waived by the Las Vegas Aces despite impressing as a devastating impact bench player. Carter's dramatic fallout has become Ta'Niya Latson's gain, as the former South Carolina guard has signed a developmental contract with the franchise. While Latson might only feature sporadically, she will bring a relentless work ethic and will be willing to fit into Becky Hammon's system rather than star in it.
Chennedy Carter's move to Las Vegas for the 2026 season looked set to finally ignite a WNBA career brimming with untapped potential. The 27-year-old was in sensational form at the start of her Aces tenure -- recording 12.2 points per game while shooting 60% from the floor and averaging just 16.9 minutes of action each matchup.
However, Carter's numbers were not enough to retain her place on the roster -- which will fuel further speculation that her controversial past is not behind her yet, and franchises don't believe her outrageous talent levels are worth the risk.
Ta'Niya Latson will bring an entirely different mentality
On the other hand, Ta'Niya Latson lands in Las Vegas off the back of a disappointing stint with the Los Angeles Sparks. The rookie guard's time in the rotation was limited despite her previous employer's struggles. Latson was granted just five minutes per game, averaging 1.8 points, one rebound, and 0.3 assists -- statistics that will not whet the appetites of Aces fans.
Nevertheless, Ta'Niya Latson offers the 2025 WNBA champions something Chennedy Carter ever could, and that is stability. A graduate of Dawn Staley's tutelage, the 23-year-old will bring a relentless work ethic and a determined mentality. Most importantly, she will be willing to conform to a culture that has created a historic level of success.
Despite being a second-round selection in the 2026 WNBA draft, Latson's college career was a roaring success, with her senior year at South Carolina fine-tuning her ability to work in an established system.
Over four years in the NCAA, Latson averaged 20.2 points, four rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. If the young guard can transfer this two-way skill set into the professional game, she could be a huge asset for Becky Hammon -- especially with the current shooting struggles of her veteran teammate, Jewell Lloyd.
While Ta'Niya Latson is not a direct replacement for Chennedy Carter, her developmental contract will allow Becky Hammon to assess her attributes and drip-feed her into the Las Vegas Aces' rotation. Given her impressive two-way performances in college, Latson could an incredibly shrewd acquisition by the reigning champions.
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