The Las Vegas Aces acquired Jewell Loyd in a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm this past offseason. Moving on from a three-time All-Star in Kelsey Plum surely wasn't an easy decision, but Las Vegas was acquiring another All-Star in Loyd as part of the deal. However, Plum has played some of the best basketball of her career to begin the 2025 campaign in LA, while Loyd has struggled with her new team.
In fact, Loyd's first seven games with the Aces have been nothing short of a true disappointment. The 4-3 Aces have underperformed overall, but they still project to be a championship contender. However, Loyd will need to figure things out in order for the team to reach their true potential.
Jewell Loyd struggling to begin Aces career
Loyd played in Seattle from 2015-2024 and earned six All-Star selections along the way. The 2015 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award winner has been one of the best players in the sport over the past decade. Yet, she looks like a different player in Las Vegas.
Although it has been a limited sample size, Loyd is clearly still trying to adjust to her new roster. The 31-year-old guard is currently averaging 9.4 points while shooting 29.4 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. Loyd is also recording 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Loyd has shot the three-ball fairly well on the offensive end of the floor. However, she has been unable to find her rhythm from inside the three-point line. Her 29.4 percent field goal shooting mark would be the lowest percentage of her career if the season ended today. The same can be said for her points per game average of 9.4 per outing.
Is there reason to be concerned?
Should Las Vegas fans be concerned? Did the Aces already lose the trade? Or will Loyd bounce back at some point?
Loyd's early-season performance has not lived up to expectations. There is no denying the facts. With that being said, there is no reason to overreact. Jewell Loyd spent the first 10 seasons of her career in the WNBA with one organization. Making the adjustment to a new franchise was always going to require patience.
Referring to Loyd's brief time with the Aces up to this point as a disappointment is fair, but that doesn't mean Aces fans should give up hope for the future. Loyd's track record suggests that she will get things going sooner rather than later.