Aces Trade Dearica Hamby
In a move that’s seemingly unexpected to most observers, the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces on Saturday traded forward Dearica Hamby to the L.A. Sparks. In return, the Aces get a second round draft pick in 2024 and the rights to forward Amanda Zahui B.
Hamby has been with the Aces since 2018 but she was a member of the San Antonio team that moved to Vegas and became the Aces. She was a first round draft pick out of Wake Forest in 2015.
The trade is puzzling because Hamby just signed a two year contract extension with Vegas last June, and she announced during the Aces championship parade that she was pregnant. She said in a statement that she has been treated by the Aces in an “unprofessional and unethical way that … has been traumatizing.” She added that “Being traded is part of the business. Being lied to, bullied, manipulated, and discriminated against is not.”
Hamby was a big part of the Aces team; she was a two two time Sixth Player of the Year and a two time All Star. Last season she averaged nine points and seven rebounds a game.
The Aces have only released a statement from general manager Natalie Williams regarding the trade, saying “Dearica has dedicated eight years of her career to this organization, and played a big role in our success since the team moved to Las Vegas. We’re going to miss her as a teammate, and are grateful for all of her contributions to the Aces over the years.”
The WNBA Players Association has said that they will “seek a comprehensive investigation” to ensure that Hamby’s rights under the 2020 labor agreement weren’t violated.
The Aces open the regular season on May 20.