The Las Vegas Aces signed former Washington Mystics draft pick Elena Tsineke to a training camp contract on Wednesday, according to the WNBA transactions page. Tsineke was initially selected by the Mystics with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She was later waived by the team, however.
The 25-year-old played her college basketball at the University of South Florida. She averaged 17.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per outing in her final college basketball season, which was a breakout campaign for her. Tsineke was a potential late first round pick, but she was ultimately selected in the second round by Washington.
Although Tsineke has yet to play in a regular season WNBA game, she is hoping to earn a spot on the Aces' final roster for 2025. She will be given the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.
She features offensive potential and could provide important depth for the Aces in 2025. The Aces fell short of winning a third consecutive championship in 2024, so they are looking for any possible way to improve.
Las Vegas has made adding depth a priority, something that is evidenced by the Tsineke signing. She could end up making a big impact on the team.
Las Vegas Aces hoping to bounce back in 2025
Reaching the WNBA semifinals is a dream for most teams around the league. For a team that was fresh off back-to-back championships, though, it was considered a failure. Las Vegas still features more than enough talent and potential to bounce back and make another championship run sooner rather than later, though.
A'ja Wilson is arguably the best player in the WNBA. Wilson could make another MVP run in 2025, as she is already a three-time MVP at just 28 years old. The Aces have an all-around quality roster as well, so making a deep postseason run remains a possibility.
It will be interesting to see if Tsineke can earn a roster spot in Las Vegas. As mentioned, her ceiling is rather intriguing. Tsineke's ability to score at a potentially consistent level will catch the Aces' attention. However, she will need to play well during the preseason in order to earn a roster spot. Las Vegas already has a respectable amount of depth on the team, so Tsineke will need to prove that she deserves an opportunity to play with the Aces during the regular season.