The Las Vegas Aces confirmed Thursday that forward NaLyssa Smith will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 WNBA season. Smith suffered a non‑contact injury to her left leg late in the third quarter of the Aces’ Sunday matchup with the Toronto team. She was taken out on the next dead ball and did not return.

Impact on the Aces’ frontcourt

Smith, a 6‑foot‑4 forward who is averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, has been a key piece alongside four‑time MVP A’ja Wilson. She leads the league in field‑goal percentage, shooting an efficient 63.8 percent from the floor. Wilson praised Smith after the game, saying, “Lyss is a soldier. God has his hands on her, and we’re going to continue to be beside her through this whole process.”

Smith’s career and recent history

At 26, Smith entered the league with the Indiana Fever in 2022 and played there through the 2024 season. She signed with Dallas for 2025 before the Aces acquired her on June 30, 2025, trading a 2027 first‑round draft pick. Over the final 27 games of the 2025 season, she posted 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and appeared in all 12 postseason contests as Las Vegas captured its third championship in five years. Across six WNBA seasons, Smith has started 176 of 186 games, averaging 11.4 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Team’s next steps

Under WNBA rules, the Aces may sign a free agent to a minimum‑salary contract to replace Smith for the remainder of the season via a season‑ending injury exemption. However, the league does not allow a waived player to be used in the postseason, so the team is likely to explore signing an international talent to fill the roster spot.

The injury comes at a crucial point in the Aces’ push for another title, and the organization’s depth will be tested as they navigate the final stretch of the regular season and the upcoming playoffs.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.