The Las Vegas Aces, last year's WNBA Champions and home to four-time MVP A'ja Wilson, suffered a demoralizing 99-66 win this weekend. It's likely everyone involved — the players, coaches, and fans — expected more from the Aces, especially as the word "dynasty" continues to swirl around in the air they're breathing.
And, to be clear, the Aces are building something dynastic. But all the bricks in the world won't hold if the foundation isn't as strong as it should be, and Las Vegas needs to start keeping an eye on the future.
We've all been here before. Last season many of us believed the Aces were out for the season after they began 2025 with a series of poor performances and tough losses. We all learned a thing or two about what a mistake it is to count Wilson and Becky Hammon out, to doubt a team that included Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young. But this weekend's loss to the Phoenix Mercury — especially to the Phoenix Mercury — was a surprise.
The Aces operated without a GM for quite some time before Nikki Fargas took over the role in April. So far, Fargas has emphasized that continuity is key to the team's success. Presumably, that means keeping the same core in terms of players, coaches, and leadership, and not trying to fix what isn't broken.
But right now, it kind of seems like something might be.
The Aces have an incredible roster that's stacked with strong talent, and no immediate worries about how that talent will perform. Wilson remains the best player in the WNBA until she decides she doesn't want to be that anymore. The team can build a dynasty if they want one, but that ship will run aground if the sea is too dry, and the Aces need to start finding athletes now who can begin the process of becoming as good as, say, Dana Evans, Chelsea Gray, or Young.
Again: this isn't an immediate problem. But aging is part of life, and part of sports, and a team's roster has to continuously be evaluated, youth has to be invested into, and plans have to be made.
Most likely the Aces will come roaring back when they play the Los Angeles Sparks Sunday and this article (and every other one like it) will look silly. But this year's Sparks team isn't last year's, and Las Vegas could find themselves in trouble again.
The Aces will find their way, for now — and, hopefully, Fargas has a plan for the future.
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