WNBA rumors: The Mystics trade Aces ‘had a chance' to make
The Las Vegas Aces reportedly had an opportunity to acquire guard Brittney Sykes before she was traded to the Seattle Storm earlier this week.
According to Callie Fin of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Washington Mystics offered Sykes to the Aces prior to finalizing a deal with the Storm. An agent involved in the transaction told Fin the Aces 'had a chance' to land the 31-year-old guard, but ultimately were unable to complete a trade.
The Mystics sent Sykes to Seattle in exchange for forward Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round pick. Clark, notably, is a former Aces player who played a key role during their recent championship runs.
Las Vegas was likely hindered by its limited draft capital. The Aces have already traded away their first-round picks in both 2026 and 2027, reducing their flexibility ahead of Thursday's 3:00 p.m. ET WNBA Trade Deadline.
'The reality is the team may need to stand pat and bet on its existing roster,' Fin wrote. 'It doesn't seem like the Aces can afford to double down.'
Sykes has been a consistent contributor for Washington this season, averaging 15.4 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 37.9% from the field and 31.8% from beyond the arc. She has appeared in 25 games, logging 31 minutes per contest.
Aces weigh trade deadline moves as Brittney Sykes joins Storm ahead of key matchup
Las Vegas, currently 16-14, sits in the middle of the playoff picture and is riding a two-game win streak. The Aces defeated the Golden State Valkyries 78-72 on Wednesday night and are set to face the Storm (also 16-14) on Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET on ION.
The impending matchup against Seattle will now feature Sykes in a Storm uniform, adding an extra layer of intrigue to an already important game for playoff seeding.
With only hours remaining before the trade deadline, the Aces must decide whether to pursue last-minute reinforcements or continue their postseason push with the current roster.
Las Vegas has faced challenges throughout the 2025 season, including injuries and stretches of inconsistent play. Despite those issues, the Aces remain in the playoff hunt and are looking to gain momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
The failed attempt to land Sykes underscores the difficulty Las Vegas faces when operating without high-value draft assets. While the franchise has made aggressive win-now moves in recent years, it may now be constrained by the cost of those earlier decisions.
The Storm, meanwhile, appear poised to make a late push in the Western Conference with the addition of Sykes, who brings veteran leadership and two-way production to Seattle's backcourt.
As the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline approaches, Las Vegas remains one of several teams to monitor.
Related: Aces' A'ja Wilson torches Valkyries to become fastest ever to reach WNBA mark
Related: Aces' A'ja Wilson reaches historic milestone in first half vs. Valkyries
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