The Aces and Lynx have agreed to a trade ahead of Monday night’s WNBA draft.
Las Vegas announced Sunday it has acquired the No. 8 and No. 13 selections from Minnesota in exchange for first and second round picks in 2023.
“This trade with Minnesota gives us the opportunity to acquire the players to further strengthen our talented veteran team,” Aces general manager Natalie Williams said in a statement.
The move shakes up the landscape of this year’s draft as the Aces, the best team in the West over the last two seasons, now have five picks: No. 8 and No. 11 in Round 1, No. 13 and No. 23 in Round 2, and No. 35 in Round 3. Barring another trade, the Lynx will make two selections in the first (No. 22) and third round (No. 28).
Now led by former All-Star and first-year head coach Becky Hammon, Las Vegas enters next season looking to re-tool around 2020 MVP A’ja Wilson and make another run for that elusive first championship.
The 2022 WNBA draft is set to air on ESPN, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on April 11. It will be the first in-person edition of the event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
