The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces are making moves to bolster the supporting cast surrounding their All-Star core, reaching deals with two centers Wednesday.
Kiah Stokes will return to the Aces on a two-year contract, she told ESPN, and Megan Gustafson will also sign with Las Vegas on a two-year deal, sources told ESPN. Both players were unrestricted free agents and can sign contracts starting Thursday.
After spending her early pro career with the New York Liberty, the 6-foot-3 Stokes has carved out a nice role in Las Vegas since 2021. The former UConn standout and No. 11 pick in the 2015 draft emerged as a complementary player in the Aces' championship runs, helping clean up on the glass (5.9 RPG in 2023) and providing a defensive presence inside the lane. She took on a larger role last year, starting 22 games after Candace Parker went down with a season-ending foot injury.
Stokes missed Game 4 of the WNBA Finals with a foot injury as Las Vegas clinched the title with a win over the Liberty.
Gustafson -- a former Naismith Player of the Year winner at Iowa -- joins Las Vegas after previous stints in Dallas, Washington and Phoenix. Her 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game in 2023 were all career highs.
The Aces, who became the first team to repeat as WNBA champions in over 20 years, had two-time MVP A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Alysha Clark and Kierstan Bell under contract heading into this offseason, boosting optimism for a three-peat in 2024 -- even more so if Parker is back with them.