Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon opted to bench three of her team's usual starters, including four-time MVP A'ja Wilson, for a nationally televised matchup against the New York Liberty on Sunday. The decision came after the Aces played a road game the previous day, highlighting concerns over player health and safety due to the WNBA's scheduling.

Sophie Cunningham, Dana Evans, and Brianna Turner stepped into the starting lineup in place of Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young. The sidelined starters did not play at all during the game, which resulted in a 111-71 loss for the Aces.

Hammon defended her decision, stating that the health and safety of her players are paramount. "Wherever we end up, we end up, and we’ll play whatever hand is dealt to us," Hammon said, per Yahoo Sports. "To me, this was a just a bigger picture type (of) scenario, so you take the ‘L,’ understanding that it pays dividends on the back end."

The Aces had played the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, with Wilson, Young, and Gray logging significant minutes. The quick turnaround, particularly with travel between games, was a key factor in Hammon's decision.

"Not going to put (players) in any kind of jeopardy to get hurt when we’ve been expending a lot of energy and traveling a lot of miles back and forth, crisscrossing the country," Hammon explained. "It is what it is. I know these are big matchups, and these are what people want to see, but you should ensure that it’s fair."

According to the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement, the league is expected to make good-faith efforts to provide at least 20 hours between the start of a team's back-to-back games. The WNBA also has a guideline of a minimum of 22 hours between back-to-back games, with travel not exceeding one time zone. The Aces played their Saturday game at 1 p.m. ET and their Sunday game at 12:30 p.m. ET, a schedule that met the minimum time requirements but involved significant travel.

Opposing player Jonquel Jones of the Liberty acknowledged the Aces' position, stating, "Obviously, they have to do what’s right for their team. They have to do what’s right for their bodies. But as competitors, we really wanted to match up against them."

The WNBA is expanding its schedule to 50 games next season, an increase from the current 2026 schedule. Hammon's move on Sunday could be interpreted as a statement to the league regarding the challenges posed by the current scheduling practices, even when technically adhering to guidelines.