WNBA Investigating The Las Vegas Aces
The WNBA says they are looking into the Las Vegas Aces and salary cap circumvention after allegations arose accusing the team of paying players under the table.
The question around salaries surfaced after the team signed Candace Parker, a two-time league MVP and 35-year-old forward Alysha Clark, who signed a two-year, $220,000 deal.
Parker, was signed for a $100,000 contract, She made $195,000 during the 2022 season. The salary cap for the 2023 season is $1,420,500.
The current collective bargaining agreement explicitly forbids teams from trying to circumvent the salary cap,
The Aces are also being probed after statements were made by former forward Dearica Hamby.
Last month, The Aces sent Hamby and a first-round pick to the Los Angeles Sparks for a 2024 second-round pick and the negotiating rights to forward Amanda Zahui B.
After the trade, Hamby released a statement on social media accusing Las Vegas of “traumatizing” statements surrounding the trade.
According to espn.com Dearica Hamby is still processing last month’s trade that sent her from the Las Vegas Aces to the Los Angeles Sparks and thinks the WNBA will hold her former team accountable for what she termed “unethical” behavior. In 32 games last season, Hamby, a two-time Sixth Woman of the Year, averaged 9.3 points and 7.1 rebounds.
And according to thenexthoops.com “The Las Vegas Aces released a statement acknowledging that they are aware of the formal investigation launched today by the WNBA regarding Dearica Hamby.” The team statement further promised to assist the league with all information requested.
Like his father Al Davis, Mark Davis is not opposed to taking bold steps when it comes to the franchises he owns. He moved his legendary Oakland football team, the Raiders, to Las Vegas to be the first major professional sports franchise in the gambling capital of North America, and even brought back former head coach Jon Gruden a few seasons back.
However, sometimes his decisions have gotten him or his teams in hot water. Gruden was forced out of his position after causing a scandal with a series of insensitive emails, and last year the Las Vegas Raiders boss was linked to back channel conversations to try and bring Tom Brady to Nevada before he left the New England Patriots back in 2020.
