Ranking Aces expansion draft risks for 2026, from low to high

Low to medium risk: Cheyenne Parker-Tyus

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus represents the size swing. Expansion teams always look for frontcourt size they can develop.

Her 2025 sample was small, two regular-season games with 7.0 minutes and 8.0 points per game. The upside is real. The certainty isn’t.

“She’s a very skilled player and has a great feel for the game,” Aces president Nikki Fargas said last February.

Medium risk: Kiah Stokes

Kiah Stokes offers the cleanest plug-and-play role on this list. She appeared in 40 games, averaged 12.9 minutes and grabbed 3.6 rebounds.

If an expansion team wants defense, screening and rebounding without touches, Stokes fits immediately.

“She has pro practice habits, just a pro through and through,” Hammon told CT Insider after an Aces practice in May.

Highest risk: Aaliyah Nye or Kierstan Bell

This decision comes down to who Las Vegas protects.

Aaliyah Nye brings contract control. She played 44 games, averaged 15.3 minutes and scored 3.8 points in a steady bench role. If exposed, she’s an appealing target.

“She gets minutes because she plays hard,” Hammon told Sports Illustrated in June. “Her effort is there every time.”

Kierstan Bell brings playoff trust. She played 35 games, averaged 12.2 minutes and scored 4.2 points, earning more time in high-leverage moments.

If exposed, Bell’s age and two-way potential fit exactly what expansion teams want. She can help now and still grow.

“(Bell) was a natural fit. I think she knows our system the best,” Hammon told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in August after inserting Bell into the starting lineup.

A subtle but real risk for Las Vegas

Las Vegas is unlikely to lose its core in an expansion draft. The bigger risk sits one layer down.

If an expansion team strips away the Aces’ trust layer, the one built through playoff experience, replacing it may take a full season.

That’s the part you can’t buy at the deadline.

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