Aces make surprising decision on preseason standout

Kelly’s departure does come as somewhat of a surprise, as she was one of the most impressive players to come off the bench for the Aces during the preseason.

In the Aces’ two preseason games against the Dallas Wings and Phoenix Mercury, Kelly averaged 12 points and 1.5 assists coming off the bench. Most notably, she hit the game-winning shot against the Mercury to give the Aces an 85-84 victory. That performance made it very difficult for her to be let go of, but the Aces roster was just too stacked.

Kelly being forced out of the roster is sure to be a point of contention for the players during discussions on the next collective bargaining agreement, where roster size is one of the issues on the table.

For the Aces, they now have 13 players remaining on their roster, and they must come down to 12 before the season tips off on Saturday. However, a leg injury to center Megan Gustafson in training camp, as well as Cheyenne Parker-Tyus’s pregnancy, could complicate matters for the team. If they can put at least one of the players (likely Gustafson) on injured reserve, they could keep the rest of the roster and make their decision later.

It is a disappointing end to Kelly’s run, but it is one Aces fans will remember for quite some time.