WNBA Notebook: Aces bolster frontcourt with addition of NaLyssa Smith

NaLyssa Smith (1) will be expected to help A’ja Wilson (22) after the Aces acquired Smith from Dallas in a trade on June 30, 2025. PHOTO: Courtesy Las Vegas Aces

LAS VEGAS -- As the Aces prepare for critical four-game road trip, the front office was busy one day after a monumental win in Phoenix, over arguably what was the league's hottest team, by trading for 2022 WNBA all-rookie selection NaLyssa Smith.

The 6-foot-4 forward who won a national championship in 2019 with Baylor, was acquired from the Dallas Wings in exchange for the Aces first-round pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft.

To complete the trade, the Aces waived rookie Liz Kitley and veteran Tiffany Mitchell.

NaLyssa Smith is averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds this season. PHOTO: Las Vegas Aces

Smith, who was drafted second overall by the Wings in the 2022 WNBA Draft, averaged 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds during her four years in the WNBA, while shooting 45.5% from the floor.

"Sick to my stomach dawg , never seen this coming but .. i love you dallas nation, thank you 4 everything," Smith wrote on her "X" profile page. "on another note tho if i could’ve chose anywhere to go it would’ve been vegas so hella excited 4 this new opportunity wit my goat . 🙂‍↔️🤝🏾"

Smith was presumably referencing reigning MVP A'ja Wilson, who could use some help in the frontcourt, especially on the defensive end of the floor. She is averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds this season.

The Aces currently rank ninth with their defensive rating, allowing an estimated 105.2 points per 100 possessions.

They're also allowing the league's second-highest field-goal percentage from 0-3 feet (.716) and 3-10 feet (.490) from the basket.

The Aces will open an Eastern Conference road trip on Thursday in Indianapolis against a revenge-minded Fever team that lost in Las Vegas, 89-81, on June 22.

From there, the Aces visit Connecticut, New York and Washington.

Las Vegas will head to the East Coast with a bit of momentum after rookie Aaliyah Nye torched the nets in Sunday's 84-81 win that snapped Phoenix's six-game win streak. Nye, who shot 5-of-7 from 3-point range, finished with a career-high 16 points.

The Aces are 3-4 on the road this season, and are 4-2 against Eastern Conference squads.

This week’s WNBA notebook, around the rest of the league:

DREAM - Atlanta heads into the week just one-half game behind defending champion New York after Sunday's impressive 90-81 win over the champs. The Dream held the Liberty to a season-low 34 points in the first half. Atlanta snapped a two-game skid and heads has just one more game this week, hosting the Seattle Storm on Thursday.

FEVER - While Caitlin Clark was named one of two captains for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, which incidentally will be held in Indianapolis, the biggest question remaining is whether or not she'll be able to play in Tuesday night's Commissioner's Cup championship game. Clark has already missed seven games this season, missing five games with a quad strain, and the team's last two games with a groin strain.

LIBERTY - Since opening the season 9-0, the defending champs have hit the skids, losing five of their last seven games. No coincidence that New York has lost four of the seven games former MVP Jonquel Jones has missed due to injury. Jones is expected to be out through July, leaving New York sans a key part of its frontcourt. During their 2-5 slide, the Liberty have been outscored by nearly seven points per game.

LYNX - Kayla McBride reached the 5,000-point plateau during Minnesota's 96-92 overtime win in Atlanta on Friday. After pouring in 20 points on 6--of-10 shooting in Sunday's 39-point demolition of Connecticut, the 33-year-old veteran has 5,025 points, which ranks 28th in the WNBA's all-time scoring list. She's 23 points behind Tangela Smith, and Wilson, who earlier in June became the fastest player to hit the 5,000-point plateau.

MERCURY - Though the Aces threw cold water on Phoenix's scorching win streak that included wins in Las Vegas, and two against the Liberty, the Mercury still have the second-best record in the WNBA, 2.5 games back of the league-leading Lynx. MVP-candidate Alyssa Thomas is riding a 14-game run of 10+ points and 5+ assists, the third-longest streak in WNBA history, trailing only Caitlin Clark (25 in 2024) and Courtney Vandersloot (15 in 2018).

MYSTICS - Washington had its three-game win streak snapped with a 79-71 loss in Dallas on Saturday, and still has one stop left, in Minneapolis on Thursday. The Mystics upset the Lynx, 68-64, in D.C. on June 24, and though they'll visit a revenge-minded team, they'll be well-rested for a Minnesota team that will be coming off Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup championship.

SKY - Chicago gets a much-needed week off after scoring a 92-85 win in Los Angeles on Sunday. The Sky won't play again until this Sunday, when they visit the Lynx, who will be playing their fifth game in eight nights, including the second of a back-to-back. During the Sky's win over the Sparks, Angel Reese registered a season-high 24 points while making history by becoming the first WNBA player to grab 15 or more rebounds in four consecutive games.

SPARKS - During its 1-5 skid, Los Angeles has the worst scoring defense in the WNBA, having allowed 90.8 points per game, just .1 points in front of the Liberty (90.7). It doesn't help that in that same span, the Sparks have the second-lowest scoring offense (77.8). They'll face a two-game gauntlet on the road this week, visiting New York and Indianapolis on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

STORM - After a 6-1 win streak catapulted Seattle into the top four, it's dropped two of its last three, one at home and a 33-point shellacking at the hands of the expansion Valkyries in San Francisco on Sunday. It was the second time Golden State outplayed the Storm. Despite the blowout loss on Sunday, the Storm still have a top five scoring defense, which they'll need to hang their hat on during a three-game tour that starts in Atlanta and Brooklyn before ending in Connecticut.

SUN - Connecticut continues to struggle and comes into the week after a 0-4 showing on its most recent road trip. In stops through San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle and Minnesota, the Sun were outscored by 26.3 points per road loss. They're clearly missing Marina Mabrey, who missed all four road games.

VALKYRIES - Coach Natalie Nakase has to be in the conversation for Coach of the Year, along with Phoenix's Nate Tibbetts, as the expansion squad has become the feel-good story of the year. They've certainly cleared the hump of being a novelty storyline with a couple of token wins and must now be considered a playoff contender. Among their nine wins, the Valks have knocked off the Mystics, Aces, Storm twice and Fever - all considered playoff-caliber teams.

WINGS - It appears Dallas may have turned the corner from a 1-11 start to the season, as it's won four of six after Saturday's impressive 79-71 win. Rookie Paige Bueckers leads the team with 18.4 points per game, and since joining the team, Li Yueru has contributed with 6.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The question now becomes how the team will adjust without frontcourt presence NaLyssa Smith, who started 15 of the team's 18 games before being shipped to Las Vegas on Monday.