​Picking up Chennedy Carter initially felt like a coup for the Las Vegas Aces as the WNBA season got underway. The anticipation surrounding her arrival suggested a potential spark off the bench, a dynamic scorer adding depth to a championship-contending roster. Yet Carter’s time in Vegas has come to a close in a fashion that echoes some of her recent exits from other franchises. On Wednesday, the Aces waived Carter after 13 games, a cut that followed a start to the season in which she appeared poised to contend for Sixth Player of the Year honors. When pressed about Carter’s departure on Thursday, Aces head coach Becky Hammon chose not to elaborate, signaling that the organization would not comment on players no longer with the team. “We’re not going to comment on players that aren’t here anymore,” Hammon said, after an Aces staffer requested reporters “keep it to basketball tonight” in response to a question about Carter.
Details surrounding what happened inside the Aces locker room remain unclear. What is evident is that Carter, who signed with Las Vegas in April, is once again parting ways with a club on terms that resemble the tense exits she experienced with the Chicago Sky and the Los Angeles Sparks. Those departures led her to play overseas in 2023 and again in 2025. The 2024 season had Carter earning votes for Most Improved Player after averaging 17.5 points per game, a campaign that also drew Caitlin Clark–related notoriety. The Sky did not extend a qualifying offer to Carter, and her next appearance came in the 2026 Aces season opener.
Carter began her first season with Las Vegas in strong fashion, delivering a hot start that suggested she could become a steady scoring option off the bench. She posted averages of 19.1 points per game on an efficient 64.6% shooting clip during her early stretch with the Aces. However, in the six games since, her scoring has cooled to an average of 4.2 points per game. Across four professional seasons, Carter has faced challenges in establishing a long-term foothold in the WNBA, with teams rotating through different roles and opportunities for her skill set.
After Friday’s game between the Aces and the Sky, during which Carter logged 11 minutes in an overtime thriller, Hammon stated there were no injury concerns. “Chennedy should be good to go,” Hammon said. “Just made an executive decision there on what I liked and what was working.” In the midst of this, Carter took aim at her defensive performance on social media, with coverage from Callie Fin of USA Today. Fin also reported that the Aces waived Carter shortly before the deadline that would have required them to pay her non-guaranteed contract in full.
Despite the midseason shakeup, the Aces have managed to remain a formidable force in the league. They entered Thursday with a 15-6 record and the second-best standing in the WNBA, illustrating that Carter’s absence has not derailed their competitive trajectory. The team continues to lean on a deep, balanced roster and a veteran coaching staff that can navigate midseason turnover while maintaining their high level of play.
Carter’s career arc in the WNBA has been marked by promise intertwined with turbulence. After a strong start to her professional journey, she has found it challenging to secure a stable, long-term role with a single franchise. Her early success in Las Vegas hinted at a potential breakout, but the subsequent inconsistencies, combined with the business realities of contract structures and roster decisions, have shaped a narrative in which she continually searches for a durable fit within the league.
As the season progresses, Carter’s next steps remain uncertain. If she catches on with another team, she could reintroduce her scoring instincts and athleticism to a new system, potentially reviving a path toward a more permanent role in the WNBA. For now, the Aces will move forward, confident in their core and their ability to absorb roster changes without sacrificing their competitive edge.