Chennedy Carter Waived by Las Vegas Aces: Inside the Mercurial Guard's Turbulent WNBA Journey

The delicate balance between elite athletic talent and locker-room harmony remains one of professional sports' most enduring struggles. In the WNBA, where roster spots are among the most fiercely contested in all of professional sports, that balance is even more razor-thin. This reality was sharply underscored on Tuesday when the defending champion Las Vegas Aces made the abrupt decision to waive guard Chennedy Carter ahead of the league's mid-season contract guarantee deadline. It is a stunning development for a player who, just weeks ago, appeared to be the frontrunner for the league's Sixth Player of the Year award, marking yet another turbulent chapter in the career of one of women's basketball's most polarizing and gifted figures.

Quick summary

• The Las Vegas Aces waived guard Chennedy Carter ahead of the WNBA's contract cut-off date, filling her roster spot by signing rookie Justine Pissott to a rest-of-season deal.
• Carter's brief tenure in Las Vegas started with an outstanding May, where she averaged 17.5 points on 65.1% shooting, but quickly deteriorated in June and July due to injuries, illness, and off-court friction.
• Over her six-year career, the former No. 4 overall draft pick has now been waived, suspended, or let go by four different WNBA franchises due to a combination of physical setbacks and recurring behavioral concerns.

Why it matters

The decision to waive Chennedy Carter is a stark reminder of the uncompromising environment of the modern WNBA. With only 12 teams and 12-player rosters, there is virtually no room for error or internal disruption, even for players with All-Star-caliber skill sets. For a championship contender like the Las Vegas Aces, team cohesion and offensive consistency are paramount. By parting ways with Carter, head coach Becky Hammon and the Aces' front office have signaled that they value stability and locker-room chemistry over high-ceiling bench scoring as they prepare for another deep postseason run.

For Carter, the implications are severe. Having now struggled to remain on rosters in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas, she faces the very real prospect of being locked out of the league entirely. At a time when the WNBA is experiencing unprecedented growth, popularity, and commercial interest, her inability to find a permanent home highlights the heavy premium franchises place on professional conduct and reliability.

Background

To understand the gravity of the Aces' decision, one must look at the highly volatile path Carter has walked since entering the league. Selected fourth overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2020 WNBA Draft out of Texas A&M, Carter instantly showcased her world-class speed and scoring prowess. She finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Crystal Dangerfield, missing out primarily due to a late-season ankle injury that sidelined her during the pandemic-shortened season.

However, her sophomore campaign in 2021 set a troubling precedent. After returning from a month-long elbow injury, Carter was suspended indefinitely by the Dream for "conduct detrimental to the team" following an in-game dispute with teammate Courtney Williams. Reports surfaced that Carter had attempted to instigate a locker-room fight after Williams criticized her attitude on the bench. She never played for Atlanta again.

Subsequent stints followed a similar pattern of high-level production followed by swift fallout:

• Los Angeles Sparks (2022): Traded to Los Angeles, Carter was repeatedly benched for "poor conduct" and was waived at the end of the season, subsequently going unsigned for the entire 2023 season.

• Chicago Sky (2024): Given a lifeline by the Sky, Carter excelled on the court, averaging 17.5 points and finishing fourth in Most Improved Player voting. However, her season was marred by a league-leading four flagrant fouls—including a highly publicized incident involving Caitlin Clark—and Chicago chose not to re-sign her due to internal concerns about her locker room presence.
• Las Vegas Aces (2026): After spending 2025 playing in Mexico, Carter earned a spot on the Aces' roster through training camp on an unprotected, league-minimum contract.

Her initial stretch with Las Vegas was spectacular. Playing alongside superstars like A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Jewell Loyd, Carter was the engine of the Aces' bench. Throughout May, she averaged 17.5 points on astonishing 65.1% shooting from the field and 58.8% from beyond the arc. Yet, the momentum collapsed in late May when Carter engaged in public social media disputes with fans and complained about being played on a "leash." A leg injury in June, followed by an undisclosed illness, saw her playing time and efficiency plummet, culminating in her release.

Qnews24h insight

In modern professional sports, the phrase "talent over-indexes trouble" is a widely accepted maxim, but the WNBA is proving to be an exception to this rule. The Aces' roster management decision reveals a calculated risk assessment. Since June 1, despite Carter's sharp decline in availability and scoring, Las Vegas posted a formidable 10-3 record with an elite 112.5 offensive rating. Simply put, they did not need her on-court production enough to justify the potential off-court variables.

By replacing Carter with Justine Pissott—the No. 25 pick in the 2026 draft who was previously on a developmental deal with the Indiana Fever—the Aces are opting for a developmental piece who fits seamlessly into their long-term culture. For Carter, the road back to the league will require more than just recovering from her physical ailments; it will require a fundamental rehabilitation of her professional reputation. If a culture-first organization led by Becky Hammon determined that Carter was not a fit, other front offices will undoubtedly proceed with extreme caution.

Sources

This report is based on findings and reporting originally published by CBS Sports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Las Vegas Aces waive Chennedy Carter?

While the Aces did not release an official statement detailing their exact reasoning, the move came after Carter's on-court production dramatically declined in June and July due to injuries and illness. Her departure also followed social media tension and past locker-room concerns that have followed her throughout her WNBA career.

Who did the Aces sign to replace Chennedy Carter?

The Aces signed Justine Pissott to a rest-of-season contract. Pissott, selected 25th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, was previously on a developmental contract with the Indiana Fever.

What are the possible future WNBA destinations for Chennedy Carter?

While Carter's future in the WNBA is uncertain, teams in need of offensive bench support could take a chance on her. Potential landing spots include the Minnesota Lynx (who struggle with bench depth), the Los Angeles Sparks (looking for a short-term offensive boost), or the expansion Golden State Valkyries, who need paint-scoring options.