The Las Vegas Aces have secured a WNBA playoff seed for the eighth consecutive time. But with forward NaLyssa Smith injured, concerns over their championship chances have increased.

According to a report published by the Las Vegas Aces’ website on August 28, Smith suffered a non-contact injury during the Aces’ August 23 game against the Toronto Tempo.

“Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith suffered a non-contact, left leg injury at the 3:15 mark of the third quarter of the August 23 game against the Toronto Tempo and will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2026 season,” the report stated.

The Aces’ August 27 report further revealed that Smith will be out for the remainder of the season due to the injury.

Per CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney, Smith’s left knee buckled when she jumped in the air to catch a pass, and collapsed on the court. She was unable to put any pressure on her knee and had to be helped off the court after that.

It is still unclear whether Smith will require surgery or how soon she would be able to make a comeback. But without her, the Aces will lose frontcourt depth they desperately need.

According to The Athletic, Smith was the fourth-leading scorer on the Aces' roster. This season, she has averaged 11.7 points per game and ranks second in rebounds at 6.4 per game. She has also had a 63.8% field goal percentage, leading the league.

So, with one of their more prolific scores out for the season, can the Aces maintain their lead during the 2026 WNBA postseason?

What the Las Vegas Aces’ 2026 championship chances look like without NaLyssa Smith

Even without Smith, the aces still have forward A’ja Wilson, along with guards Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray. CBS Sports’ Maloney believes that the Aces will manage to hold their spot through the regular season even without Smith. 

Currently the third seed overall, they are battling for home-court advantage. But it is the postseason where Smith’s absence will be sorely felt.

“But come playoff time, Smith's absence will be a major blow to their hopes of completing a second repeat in five years,” Maloney said in his August 27 CBS Sports report. “The Aces are already without Chennedy Carter, who was their leading bench scorer at 12.2 points per game. Now, they'll be without Smith, who was the only player outside of the big three who provided any sort of reliable scoring.“

However, the Aces’ playoff chances haven’t completely shattered. Maloney pointed out that the Aces have the easiest schedule in the league for the remainder of the season. Furthermore, they’ll get a break once the FIBA World Cup begins. 

If they can develop Harmoni Turner and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus  enough, they may be able to fulfill the gap left by Smith.

Written by

Arundhoti Palit

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit