Every team has an era that defines them, and for the Las Vegas Aces, this decade feels like that glorious period. They won their third title in the last four years! So, HC Becky Hammon wasn’t shy while calling A’ja Wilson & Co., better than any legendary team: “Those guys who laid the groundwork showed how winning should be done and gave a lot to the league insofar as history, it’s really great to talk about it, but the skill set and the level that these guys are at, it’s not comparable.” But can they continue the momentum?

A’ja Wilson is still playing like an alien, Jackie Young lit up the postseason, and Chelsea Gray is still ‘point gawd’. It seems positive until you find out what the Aces have to face in the offseason. “I don’t know if we’ve seen a free agency like this in years. With this many veterans that are going to be free agents, this many people that, regardless of whether Vegas is able to try and keep their core together, who’s going to be that surrounding cast?” Zena Keita said on the No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show.

Almost every franchise is starting with a clean slate in the offseason, as only rookies and very select veterans remain under contract in this CBA turnover. “Aliyah Nye is the only person who is signed right now, I believe, to the Las Vegas Aces,” Keita added. “That is crazy. So got to think about what those types of elements are going to impact Las Vegas moving forward and how A’ja and her dynasty continue.” The top teams like the Aces are hit the hardest as they haven’t had a first-round draft pick since 2022. 

Without saying, the Aces’ big 3 of A’ja Wilson (154*), Young (155*), and Gray (146 games* from 2022-2025) are the reason for their sustained success. “There is no desire to do anything but do our best to make sure that we sign them back to the Aces organization.” Aces president Nicki Fargas told Ben Pickman. Winning three titles within 4 years makes it relatively easy to retain players and sign whoever they want on the market. It’s still something they need to do. 

For now, retaining their Big 3 seems easy, but it will depend on how the CBA situation develops. There could be a case like Kelsey Plum, who left the Aces after 6 years to anchor her own team in Los Angeles last year. But the question is, can the Aces afford those three after the increase in salary caps and the overall salaries? All three were among the top earners in the 2025 squad, and you can expect a bump in their value after the 2025 win. 

That goes for every player on the squad, though. Going back to the drawing board is uncomfortable, especially if there are huge expectations. It will be interesting to see how the Aces will navigate this web and form a title contender next year. Shifting the spotlight from the players to the mastermind behind it all, Becky Hammon, now faces her toughest test yet.

Becky Hammon Faces Unseen Challenge in 2026

Becky Hammon is among the most knowledgeable basketball coaches in all of basketball. As a player, she was a 6x All-Star at the New York Liberty and San Antonio Spurs. She trained under one of the best coaches in NBA history, serving as an assistant under Gregg Popovich for seven seasons, and is the only woman to come close to becoming an HC of an NBA team. Trusting her skills, in 2022, Vegas and new owner Mark Davis took a leap of faith on Hammon (and the Aces) after Bill Laimbeer retired.

Even beyond Wilson and Co., Hammon is arguably the most important piece for the Aces in continuing their dynasty. But Hammon faces a task she has never faced before in her young coaching career: to build a team from the ground up. When she arrived at the Aces, A’ja Wilson was already the best player in the league, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were on their upward trajectory. 

Hammon even had Plum, who was their best scorer in 2022. It’s not an overreach to say she inherited a superteam. That’s not to understate what Hammon has done with the Aces. The fact remains, she has not yet foresaw a full rebuild like we are about to see. To Hammon’s credit, her squad can’t stop praising Hammon’s masterful man-management.

“It’s not just her basketball mind, it’s because she can form relationships and bonds,” A’ja Wilson said. “That’s when you see winning cultures is when your leader is so poured into you. You want to win and play for her, so we’re grateful. Obviously, (Hammon) keeps bringing championships to Vegas, and we’re just happy to be on the ride.”

Only time will tell if she can make the same bonds with new players. There will be a learning curve as she will have new roadblocks, but that is a part of any coach’s journey. Stephen A. Smith recommended Hammon to be an NBA coach. Maybe if she passes these upcoming tests and continues this Aces juggernaut, she will earn a call-up to the NBA.