Las Vegas Aces 'Rest' Stars for Marquee New York Liberty Matchup

The best players on the Las Vegas Aces will not be available for their matchup with the New York Liberty.

Aug 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Las Vegas Aces A'ja Wilson (22) against the Minnesota Lynx in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The rivalry game between the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty on Sunday has lost some luster. That's because it was announced prior to tip-off that the Aces will be sitting their best players for the matchup.

Reigning MVP A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray have all been listed out for "rest."

The decision makes some sense on the Aces end as the team is in the midst of a jam-packed stretch of games in a short period of time. That included a dramatic win over the Indiana Fever on Thursday, punctuated by Wilson's key defensive stop, and Gray's late-game heroics. The Aces then played a game against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, which resulted in a Lynx win.

That makes the game versus the Liberty the third in four days for Las Vegas, including the back-to-back given the Minnesota contest was yesterday. They also have been on the road and thus are traveling in between each game.

National TV rivals week game Vs the Liberty... The Aces are about to get the biggest fine in WNBA history 😂 pic.twitter.com/YGm5sYlonc

— Mick (@DBGyt_) August 9, 2026

So, it's understandable why they would take a cautionary approach with their star trio, in the hopes of keeping them healthy for the remainder of the season and through the stretch run. Still, resting them all for a high-profile contest is sure to raise some eyebrows.

WNBA Broadcast Partners Must Be Disappointed

How the WNBA receives this decision remains to be seen, because it cannot be appreciated by the league's broadcast partners, in this instance ABC (ESPN).

The marquee matinee in Brooklyn is slated for the national spot on the broadcast network, and now there is less incentive for fans to tune in.

It is also WNBA Rivals Week, with the Aces and Liberty perhaps occupying the top-spot in the rivalry department given their playoff meetings and since they are the teams that have won the championship the last four years (the Aces won in 2022, 2023 and 2025 with the Liberty winning in 2024).

Obviously, the rivalry does not have the same feeling with the Aces bench set to be on display.

The Liberty have been playing much better of late, so the bright side for New York is that they shouldn't have too much trouble securing a win on paper.

However, for viewers, the circumstances certainly make the showdown far less enticing than it would have been if both of the two squads were taking the floor at full strength for the nationally televised contest.