The Las Vegas Aces have a cap space problem.
The team is hardly the only one on the WNBA facing an all-too-frequent dilemma right now: training camp is well underway, preseason games are being played, and the start of the regular season is looming — which means, unfortuantely, some players are about to be cut to make sure teams don't go over their cap space.
Where the Aces are unique is that the team needs to cut two player salaries that add up to a combined $132,158 — an amount that happens to add up to the salaries of Crystal Bradford and Deja Kelly down to the dollar. And though fans would hate to see either player waived, doing so would allow the Aces to keep rookies Aaliyah Nye and Elizabeth Kitley, who are rapidly becoming fan favorites.
Crystal Bradford is making a case for herself
There is a chance that Bradford or Kelly could remain. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus revealed she is pregnant with her second child in April, and will be on maternity leave for the majority of this year's season (and both Parker-Tyus and the other player would be paid throughout the season). That gives one player the opportunity to play with the Aces at least until she returns — and it's looking like Bradford has an edge on Kelly.
Bradford, who was drafted as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft, joined the Aces in February during the AU Pro Basketball season in Nashville, Tennessee. She also has a ton of international experience and has played in Israel, Poland, Turkey, China, and Finland.
Taking the time to continue to improve her game has benefited Bradford, who has gained plenty of Aces fans since training camp began at the end of April. She helped the Aces pull off the team's 1-point win over the Mercury on May 7 with 9 points in 17 minutes, and has certainly given the team's coaching staff plenty to debate.
The Aces have another problem to attend to
In addition to questions about cap space, the Aces have another problem they need to face sooner rather than later: the team has three active bigs — A'ja Wilson, Kiah Stokes, and Kitley — and one of them (Kitley) might not be ready to hit the floor when the season begins. The team doesn't have a lot of options available if Stokes is jammed up on the floor and Wilson, Jackie Young, or Chelsea Gray are double-teamed. This will leave a lot of the burden on Wilson to be great. Though she's known for being exactly that, the pressure is still immense, and the Aces could have done a little more to ease it up for her.