Aces guard may finally give A’ja Wilson the help she desperately needs

The Las Vegas Aces possess significant star talent with players like A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Jewell Loyd, alongside former lottery pick NaLyssa Smith. Despite this, the team has struggled, holding a 12-11 record and competing for one of the final playoff spots against teams like the Indiana Fever, Golden State Valkyries, and Washington Mystics.

Multiple issues have hindered the Aces throughout the season, including inconsistent production from starters beyond Wilson and Young, and notably poor bench performance. The bench ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring (10th), rebounding (12th), and assists (13th), lacking a reliable go-to scorer for most of the season.

Guard Dana Evans has recently emerged as a solution to the bench scoring woes. After a slow start in May and June with only two double-digit scoring games, Evans significantly improved in July. Following a rough outing against Indiana, she scored between 11 and 18 points in four games, including a key performance in an 87-72 win over Atlanta. Shooting 48.3% from the field in July, Evans averaged 10.9 points over seven games, ranking third on the team behind only Wilson and Young, providing a much-needed consistent scoring boost off the bench.

Among playoff-contending teams, the Aces have had one of the weakest benches, with only Atlanta and Seattle averaging fewer bench points per game, and no playoff hopeful averaging fewer bench assists or rebounds. While playoff rotations typically shorten, bench weakness could still hurt Las Vegas' postseason chances. Evans' improved scoring is therefore seen as a crucial positive development for the team's playoff push.