The Las Vegas Aces are pursuing free agent point guard Chelsea Gray, according to The Next.
Gray would bring an immediate upgrade to the point guard position, and as a career 38.5 percent three-point shooter, she would help cure the Aces biggest flaw.
The Aces took a league low 11.5 threes per game last season. The league leaders, Dallas, took over 27 per game. Las Vegas has finished last in the WNBA in three point attempts all three seasons under Bill Laimbeer.
The Aces managed to post the second highest offensive rating in the WNBA last season, scoring 107.3 points per 100 possessions. But in each of the last two playoff runs, the Aces have been eliminated by teams that simply out shoot them.
Adding Gray can help alleviate some of those issues. The only problem appears to be the Aces might be losing one of their few shooters, as Kayla McBride is a free agent.
The Next reports that McBride is likely to be moving on from Las Vegas. Losing McBride, a career 36.7 percent shooter, would make Gray’s addition more of a replacement of shooters than an addition of a new one.
Whether it is Gray or McBride in the lineup for the Aces, it appears as though they will trot out a starting five with the same issues as last year. With Angel McCoughtry, A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage expected to start, the Aces will have three non shooters playing heavy minutes.
The Aces will still be a contender thanks to the league’s best defense and the ability to punish teams in the paint. Plus between Gray, Wilson, Cambage and McCoughtry, the Aces would have 13 All Star appearances. The star power alone makes Las Vegas a title threat.
But the same post season issues – lack of spacing and shooting – could doom the Aces in the post season once again.