With nearly 80% of the WNBA players hitting free agency this offseason, fans are bracing for a full-blown shake-up. But while uncertainty looms across the board, the Las Vegas Aces aren’t taking any chances. Their championship formula is quickly falling back into place, and with Jackie Young’s return now on the verge, they’re one step closer to locking in their Big Three once again.
According to multiple reports, the Aces are finalizing a one-year max deal with Young as they plan to bring the All-Star guard back to Las Vegas on a contract worth $1.19 million.
Young, alongside A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray, has been the heart of the Aces’ dominance in the league over the past few seasons. With them on the roster and leading the franchise, the Aces secured three championships in four years, which also includes their 2025 title run. So this should be enough to understand why keeping this trio intact has been the front office’s top priority.
Breaking: The Las Vegas Aces are finalizing an agreement for Jackie Young to return to Vegas, sources told ESPN. Expected to be a one-year deal at the regular max ($1.19 million).
One step closer toward the Aces retaining their Big Three. pic.twitter.com/PrsuO9i34z
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 9, 2026
But what’s surprising is that despite entering free agency as one of the most sought-after guards in the league, the 28-year-old Jackie Young didn’t even take meetings with other teams. Instead, she chose familiarity and a system in which she has thrived ever since being selected No. 1 overall in 2019.
It’s hard to argue with that decision.
With this franchise, Young delivered another standout campaign last season, where she averaged 16.5 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game while continuing to establish herself as one of the league’s premier two-way players.
From her Most Improved Player leap in 2022 to her clutch performances in the Finals, she has evolved into an indispensable piece of the Aces’ machine.
So her return is not just stabilizing the roster; it is reinforcing a championship identity that fans have been crazy for. And if this wasn’t enough, Wilson has already made her intentions clear.
A’ja Wilson Leaves No Doubt About Future with Vegas
At a time when the league is navigating one of its most unpredictable free agency windows, which is fueled by a new CBA and record-breaking salary jumps, Wilson isn’t entertaining the chaos.
“I’m not looking,” she said on April 3rd. “I know exactly where I am. I love Vegas. I’m not leaving Vegas. I’m looking to win another one, I’m looking to defend a championship that we have in Las Vegas. I’m looking to get better as a leader, as a player. Everything else just kind of falls in line.”
While several stars across the league are weighing their options in a reshaped financial landscape, Wilson has taken the opposite route. For her, this period isn’t about testing where she can be valued the highest, but about continuing something that’s already working. And with a supermax deal expected to follow, the Aces are preserving the identity that made them a dynasty.
Once A’ja Wilson made her intentions clear, the rest of the puzzle started falling into place.
So Jackie Young’s decision to skip meetings and return on a max deal makes even more sense. And the same goes for the organization’s push to keep Chelsea Gray in the fold.
During a time when most teams are drafting up what their future roster will look like, the Aces already know theirs. And with A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young already secured as the pieces on their chessboard, the only move left is locking in Gray.
