Las Vegas Aces draft needs season preview: A big team gets bigger

The Aces are atop the odds boards, with a deep roster that can compete for the WNBA Championship

By David Fucillo and Collin Sherwin Apr 10, 2020, 1:21pm PDT

A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage of the Las Vegas Aces stand on the court during Game Three of the 2019 WNBA Playoff semifinals against the Washington Mystics at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on September 22, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When your head coach and President of Basketball Operations is Bill Laimbeer, you can bet a team will know how to play physical basketball. And he’s built the Las Vegas Aces in that image. Las Vegas is tough team that controls the rim on both sides, and with their signings in the offseason they could be even more of a contender in 2020. They are the favorites as of now.

WNBA title odds: 5/1 (DraftKings Sportsbook projected odds)

Offseason moves

The Aces signed former WNBA #1 overall pick Angel McCoughtry, who missed all of 2019 with an ACL injury she suffered at the end of the 2018 season. The two-time Olympic gold medalist averaged 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in her last season, and is still only 33. If they can pair her on the post with A’Ja Wilson, they’ll have one of the most dominant post duos in the WNBA.

WNBA draft preview: Team picks, needs

New York Liberty
Dallas Wings
Indiana Fever
Atlanta Dream
Phoenix Mercury
Minnesota Lynx
Seattle Storm
Chicago Sky
Las Vegas Aces
Los Angeles Sparks
Connecticut Sun
Washington Mystics

Additions

Angel McCoughtry
Danielle Robinson
Raisa Musina (2018 Aces Draft selection)

Departures

Liz Cambage (still hasn’t signed extension)
Ty Young (still hasn’t signed extension)

2020 WNBA Draft

Picks

No 1st or 2nd round picks
3rd round, #9 (33rd overall)

Needs

The Aces need shooters, as with McCoughtry, Wilson, and Camabge if she returns on the floor, they can for sure control the paint. An Erica Ogwumike from Rice, or a Haley Gorecki from Duke if she’s still there, would give them the floor stretcher they might need.