Can the Las Vegas Aces overcome their early-season struggles?

Just a year ago, the Aces were coming off one of the most dominant championship runs in WNBA history. So far this season, they have not lived up to their expectations as the Aces are below .500 for the first time since early in the 2021 season. The Aces still have a very talented roster headlined by arguably the best player in the game in A'ja Wilson, but what will it take to turn their season around?

It is not an understatement that the Aces will go as far as A'ja can lead them. Unfortunately, they had been without their leader for three straight games due to a concussion before making her return against the Fever on Friday. However, even with Wilson back, a player that will need to step up for the Aces is six-time All-Star Jewell Lloyd, who Vegas acquired via trade in the offseason. Lloyd is currently averaging her lowest points per game (11.4) since her rookie season. She has her worst career shooting percentages from the field (37%) and the free throw line (77.3%). For the Aces to be at their best, Lloyd will need to play more like the star she was in Seattle for a decade.

When a team that was projected to be as good as the Aces struggles to start the year, it can be easy to view it as a team going through a rough stretch. One thing to remember is that the WNBA is only a 44-game season, and through 13 games, the Aces have shown multiple deficiencies. Las Vegas is currently the fifth-worst offensive team in the league, averaging just 80.2 points per game. Defensively, they have taken a step back as well, currently ranking as the fifth-worst defensive team in the league, allowing 82.9 points per game.

The defensive drop-off for the Aces is especially concerning for a team that has one of the greatest defensive players in WNBA history in A'ja Wilson, who is still as dominant as ever. So far through the season, outside of A'ja, they have struggled to have other players have much impact defensively. This is in part for the reason the Aces appear on track to fall short of their 29.5 win projection before the season.

Another glaring issue for the Aces has been their lack of depth compared to the past couple of seasons. Key bench players like Kate Martin and last year's Tiffany Hayes were part of the expansion draft that sent them to the Golden State Valkyries. They also lost a key veteran in Alysha Clark to the Seattle Storm, forcing them to rely on players who have not been able to be as impactful. The addition of Tiffany Mitchell, Dana Evans, and 13th overall pick Aaliyah Nye has not lived up to expectations, as they have combined for just 14.2 points off the bench.

On a positive note, the Aces have the right coach to lead them out of this early-season struggle. Becky Hammond has highlighted how the Aces' struggles have been self-driven, emphasizing the team's lack of effort at various points. The Aces still have time to change things and look more like the team we have expected to see. However, several teams have made improvements in the WNBA offseason that the Aces so far have not been able to keep up with. Though the Aces are still projected to be a playoff team, their projected ceiling has been diminished, and it is unclear what to expect from them in the near future.