Seven games into the 2025 WNBA season, the Las Vegas Aces are sitting a game above even, fresh off of a monster 27-point blowout delivered to them by the new kids on the block, the Golden State Valkyries.
Sure, things could be worse…yet they could also be a whole lot better, too. By no means is this a panic-button situation for the Aces, but it definitely is a good time to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
The Aces, who’ve enjoyed a half-decade reign dominance where they were the WNBA’s ultimate powerhouse, are starting to look figured out. Roster changes have been inevitable, the league has improved overall and the target on the Ace’s back has only grown larger in the past few years. And to be honest, the cracks are beginning to show for the team from Vegas. Do the Aces have enough steam to keep the ship going or are we witnessing the sunset of a remarkable era?
Is it more than just a lack of chemistry?
On paper, the Aces look good. They have championship-level players. They have veterans. They have young players with limitless potential. And they still have excellent coaches on the sideline.
A team’s struggles aren’t always due to lack of talent or experience, a lot of the time it can be directly attributed to one thing: chemistry.
Vegas did have their energy a little shaken up this summer with a handful of moves, including the departure of longtime Ace Kelsey Plum, who was arguably one of the most important, if not the most important, chemistry pieces in their locker room. Changing up a core and bringing in new players not only impacts the flow, but it demands time to acclimatize. The Aces genuinely could be in the early stages of re-wiring.
But, is that all?
The league also has seen a massive influx of young, high-level talent and is transforming right before our eyes. The Aces, in contrast, are not getting any younger. On top of that, every other team in the league has spent the past years strategizing how to take this team down. Those circumstances have brewed a recipe that has decreased the Aces’ margin for error and increased their vulnerability.
We are witnessing a crossroads. Either this era of Aces basketball is slowly losing its flame or it is just getting re-lit.
Keeping the dice rolling
If there’s one thing the Aces have mastered, it’s that they can always keep the dice rolling. No matter what adversity they face, they always find a way to keep pushing forward and making things happen.
While a slow start to this season is not ideal, it would be a surprise to see the Aces not snap into gear sooner than later. They had a similar sluggish start to last season and did gain traction before ultimately bowing out of the playoffs early. But they did find a way to turn it around after a frigid kickoff to the season.
They still have the best player in the W. They still have a championship roster. They still have a championship coaching staff. And they still have the will to win it all.
