Aces bring in another hardship signing amid injuries

The Aces signed veteran center Alaina Coates to an emergency hardship contract Wednesday.

Coates replaces rookie guard Ashley Joens, whose emergency contract expired Wednesday.

Hardship signings are allowed when a team is down to only nine active players. That has been the case for the Aces with the injury to two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker, who is out indefinitely with a fractured left foot, and reserve guard Riquna Williams, who hasn’t played all season because of a lower back injury.

Williams was also recently arrested and faces domestic violence charges.

The Aces have carried only 11 players all season because of salary cap reasons.

The 6-foot-4-inch Coates was the second overall pick by the Chicago Sky in the 2017 draft out of South Carolina. She has averaged 2.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game for her career, including stints with Minnesota, Atlanta, Washington and Indiana.

She has appeared in two games this season with Phoenix, scoring two points in six minutes of action.

Joens played a total of seven minutes in two appearances with the Aces.

Player of the month

Aces forward A’ja Wilson, the reigning league MVP, earned her second straight WNBA Western Conference player of the month honor. She averaged 22.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game to help the Aces go 9-1 in July.