Aces trade for reserve guard, re-sign frontcourt option

The Aces traded for guard Dana Evans on Friday after re-signing Queen Egbo as another frontcourt depth piece.

The 5-foot-6-inch Evans, who spent the past four seasons with the Chicago Sky, was dealt in exchange for the Aces’ Nos. 16 and 22 picks of the 2025 WNBA draft.

The Aces retain the No. 13 and No. 35 picks this year. The league characterized the transaction as a sign-and-trade. The terms of Evans’ contract with the Aces have yet to be disclosed.

In the move for Evans, the Aces began the effort of rebuilding their group of reserve guards after losing veteran unrestricted free agents Alysha Clark, Sydney Colson and Tiffany Hayes to other teams this week.

Evans was the Dallas Wings’ No. 13 overall pick out of Louisville in 2021. The Wings traded her to the Sky a month into the season, and Evans won a WNBA title with her new team.

She has averaged 6.2 points and 2.0 assists for her career and finished third in voting for the WNBA’s sixth player of the year award in 2023. Now Evans will join the Aces, who have boasted five sixth player of the year winners in the past six years, all of whom are now on other teams.

Evans made 12 starts in 39 appearances last season and averaged 7.2 points and 2.4 assists. She made it clear in multiple interviews beginning in July that she wanted to be moved to a new team, and later clarified that she would play the remainder of the season with the Sky.

“I’m so excited about joining the Las Vegas Aces, a winning franchise,” Evans said in a release. “I’m looking forward to learning from the vets and coaching staff. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win another championship.”

Aces president Nikki Fargas cited Evans as a “valuable addition” to the backcourt, which also welcomed former Seattle Storm All-Star Jewell Loyd in a trade that sent Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks.

“We believe her skills and championship mentality will have an immediate impact on our team as we pursue another successful season,” Fargas said of Evans.

Frontcourt decisions

The 6-4 Egbo signed a training camp contract with the Aces.

The third-year center previously joined the Aces with two months remaining in last season, and her playing time was limited amid the Aces’ playoff push.

She appeared in three games, recording averages of 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in six minutes per game. She is playing offseason basketball for the Shaanxi Red Wolves in China, averaging 18.5 points per game.

Her signing is an indication the Aces are looking to explore frontcourt combinations well into training camp, as there are five bigs on the roster. There’s no harm in looking for the best fit, as none of the salaries of the team’s options are guaranteed.

Kiah Stokes and Megan Gustafson are on unprotected contracts. The same is true for Elizabeth Kitley’s newly inked rookie scale deal. Recently added veteran Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Egbo’s training camp contracts are simply one-year, nonguaranteed minimum salaries that don’t count against the Aces’ salary cap until the season begins.

This offers more flexibility, as the Aces will likely need to let one or two of their frontcourt pieces go to add at least one other reserve guard to pair with Evans.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.