The Las Vegas Aces quietly made one of the best offseason moves

TL;DR

The Las Vegas Aces made a significant offseason move by signing Chennedy Carter, who has already shown her potential impact. In a recent game, she scored 22 points, helping the Aces secure a strong victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Key points

Chennedy Carter joined the Las Vegas Aces this offseason
Carter scored 22 points in a recent game against the Sparks
The Aces have won three championships in the last four seasons

Las Vegas AcesLos Angeles SparksPhoenix MercuryChicago Sky

May 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Chennedy Carter (23) dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Sparks guard Erica Wheeler (17) during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images At training camp last month, A’ja Wilson spoke about the potential impact that Chennedy Carter could have on the Las Vegas Aces. “I was an opponent against her when she fried us, so it’s pretty cool to have her in the locker room now. So she won’t be frying us,” Wilson said. “She’s actually gonna be frying other people with our jersey on, which I’m very appreciative of.” In the Aces’ opening night game — a 99-66 loss to the Phoenix Mercury — Carter began to show how she could impact the squad, albeit in a losing effort. She tallied 10 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals, converting on 5 of 8 field goal attempts. But on Sunday evening, Carter began to show signs that she just might be one of the WNBA’s best offseason steals. In the Aces’ 105-78 win over the Los Angeles Sparks, she exploded for a team-high 22 points on 9 of 13 field goals in 20 minutes off the bench, getting downhill and scoring in a variety of ways. Carter recorded a career year in the WNBA in 2024, averaging 17.5 points on 48.7% shooting with the Chicago Sky. But, while it was never clearly reported exactly what went wrong, Carter did not sign a deal with any WNBA team in 2025. This past offseason, she joined the defending champions and immediately spoke about the gratitude she felt joining . “We have Olympians on our team,” Carter said after a preseason game last month. “We have some of the greatest players and scorers in the world. So, just being able to play with them — it’s honestly an honor. I look up to them. They have embraced me, and they’ve made me feel comfortable, and they’re helping me grow and elevate, and I trust that they’ll help me take my game to the next level, and I’m going to help them grow as well. So I’m really happy here.” Carter wasn’t the only reason why the Aces came out victorious on Sunday; tallied 20 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds, A’ja Wilson posted 19 points, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, and finished with 16 points and 5 assists. The Aces, who looked severely outmatched on opening night against the Mercury, were *clicking*. They outscored the Sparks by 28 points in Carter’s 22 minutes, the depth of their roster on full display. The Aces have won championships in three of the last four seasons. They’ll look to secure a fourth this year. And, it’s still very early, but it very well looks like Carter could be the next X-factor in the dynasty.

Q&A

What impact is Chennedy Carter expected to have on the Las Vegas Aces?

Chennedy Carter is expected to be a key contributor for the Aces, potentially serving as an X-factor in their pursuit of another championship.

How did Chennedy Carter perform in her recent game with the Aces?

In a recent game against the Los Angeles Sparks, Carter scored a team-high 22 points on 9 of 13 shooting in just 20 minutes off the bench.

Why did Chennedy Carter not sign with a WNBA team in 2025?

The reasons for Chennedy Carter not signing with any WNBA team in 2025 were not clearly reported, leaving her absence from the league that year unexplained.