​Chennedy Carter averaged 12.2 points per game after 13 appearances off the bench when the Las Vegas Aces waived her. Although she didn’t score in her final outing for the Aces against the Indiana Fever, she still shot 60.0 percent from the floor. Reporters pressed coach Becky Hammon for the reasoning behind the decision ahead of the game with the Portland Fire. “We aren’t going to comment on players that aren’t here anymore,” Hammon said during the pregame interview, as cited by 7News DC’s Jade Lawson.
When pressed further, Hammon offered more of a window into the kinds of qualities she believes a championship franchise must embody. “It’s a team sport. Self-sacrifice. People that have to sacrifice for each other,” Hammon stated, as posted on the ESPN 1100/100.9 FM page on X. “Play an unselfish brand of basketball, you have to have buy-in. At the end of the day, you need a great try-hard factor.” She added, “To win championships, you have to have this hunger and desire to win every possession. You don’t get to take possessions off. All the normal things that come with being on a team—accountability, discipline, all those things are important.”
It remains unclear exactly which of those traits Hammon felt Carter was missing, though Carter’s production had clearly dipped. In her final five games, Carter averaged only 3.8 points per contest, a sharp contrast to her first seven appearances, where she posted an average of 19.1 points per game. It’s also worth noting that her later performances were complicated by reduced playing time, a leg injury, and an undisclosed illness.
Hart to fill the void left by Carter, the Aces turned to Justine Pissott. Hammon did not waste time signaling her intention to integrate the rookie into the lineup as quickly as possible. “We’ll be adding pieces here soon with Justine and get her acclimated as quickly as possible as well,” she said during the Portland Fire pregame remarks.
Pissott, a rookie selected 25th overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2026 WNBA Draft, spent time with the Fever as a development player before the Aces claimed her roster. She arrives without the proven production Carter had at her best with Las Vegas, and she has yet to establish a track record at this level that would guarantee immediate replication of Carter’s earlier output. Still, the potential is evident, and Hammon’s comments underscore her desire to see that potential translate into tangible contributions quickly.
Regardless of the reasons behind the decision, the waiver was finalized. Since Carter’s departure, neither the Las Vegas Aces nor Hammon have offered extensive public commentary on the move, and Carter herself has not publicly addressed the waiver. The situation remains a topic of interest for fans and analysts, with attention focused on how Pissott adapts and what impact she can have as a newcomer trying to fill a void in the rotation.