A decade is a long time to call one place home. That’s how long Jewell Loyd spent with the Seattle Storm, the franchise that drafted her No. 1 overall in 2015. The six-time All-Star once even expressed the desire to finish her career there. “That was my vision. To retire in Seattle. To give back to the city that literally raised me. I was there since I was 21,” Loyd said. But by 2024, their bond fractured. It took a while to find a new home, accept, and blend in, but it doesn’t seem to be all rainbows yet.
A couple of months into the off-season, Jewell Loyd had requested a trade and was ready to adorn any other jersey except the Storm’s. The locker room troubles weren’t just it for the veteran. So that trade came in January as a part of a three-team deal that majorly reshaped two contenders.
It kicked off as Kelsey Plum pushed to join the Los Angeles Sparks via a sign-and-trade. This move opened the door for Jewell Loyd to slide into her spot in the Aces’ starting lineup. Meanwhile, Seattle stocked up on picks and players, including the No. 2 overall selection used on 19-year-old Dominique Malonga. But we cannot say the Seattle guard was completely on board.
When Jewell Loyd’s agent texted, “You’re probably gonna go to Vegas in 20 minutes,” she couldn’t believe it. “There’s no way they’re sending me to (expletive) Vegas. It’s like a contender.” Now playing alongside Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd said that she has found the right fit. After all, she has known her since they played for Team USA. “This group, they’re just competitive… they want me to be at my best. I want them to be at their best.”
While Jewell Loyd’s trade came after a rough ending with her old franchise, the fellow veteran she looked forward to joining had a much calmer and different path to Vegas back in 2021. “This is about my process and what I wanted in the future,” Chelsea Gray told ESPN. “I had amazing years in L.A. The organization became family, and we won a championship. But I felt that it was time for something new. That’s why I was full-steam ahead with this free-agency. I felt Vegas was the best fit for me now and in the future.”
What they have in common, though, is that both players came to Las Vegas eager to suit up for the Aces. But lately, that love feels a little one-sided. The fans’ frustration recently hit a new note when the Aces dropped their second straight road game to the Fever. They lost even with Caitlin Clark sidelined. The squad finished 10 points short, and fans were quick to point fingers at Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray. The two veterans combined for just 17 low points in the loss (8 and 9 points respectively). Let’s have a look at what they’re saying:
Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray Take Heat as Aces Fall to Fever, Again
The backlash started on X when one fan bluntly posted, “Jewell should retire.” At first, it seemed like an overreaction. Because just 2 weeks ago, Loyd lit up the scoreboard with 20 points against Washington. Even though the Aces lost that matchup, she was celebrated then. Although now, after the Aces’ second straight loss to the Fever, plenty of others jumped on the pile of hate.
jewell should retire
— SJ (@SJBasketball8) July 25, 2025
People have started questioning Jewell Loyd’s future after her successful decade in the league. Another fan commented a plain “@ 31?” However, the retirement chatter isn’t exactly age-driven. Because she’s only 31, that is just four years above the WNBA’s average. She’s nowhere near the oldest active player. That title actually belongs to Alysha Clark (38), who, in a twist, left the Aces for Seattle this offseason.
The concern regarding Jewell Loyd crowding Aces’ roster likely stems from the dip in her stats. The Notre Dame guard is averaging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 37.7% shooting over 23 games this season. These are well below her career marks of 16.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on 40.1% shooting. If not for Loyd though, we know the concern is aimed at Chelsea Gray at least.
One fan commented, “Chelsea Gray is not the same player too,” while another piled on, saying, “So should Chelsea… it’s bad.” But the numbers don’t really support that narrative because, Gray in fact, is the very same. She is averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 43.4% shooting through 23 games. Those stats are almost identical to her career line of 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on 46.0% shooting over 348 games.
In Chelsea Gray’s words, “With all due respect, f— them. My résumé and what I’ve done at this point speaks volumes, and what I bring to a team is why I was on the team.” And maybe it’s not her time to retire yet because according to Aces’ star player A’ja Wilson, “She’s a main ingredient to our recipe, to our cookbook. She’s probably the salt, something that you just need a little kick to it to change the whole meal.”
Amid all the noise, one fan zoomed out to a league-wide concern. They called out the lack of roster space. “There are a number of vets that need to take a hard look at their future this offseason. There’s a lot of bright stars, starting with the 2025 draft, that didn’t get a chance. More teams, more roster spots, but it might be time to move on for some after all these contracts are up.”
With just 13 WNBA teams and 12 roster spots apiece (often trimmed to 11 due to salary cap constraints), the league has roughly 156 jobs. Compare that to the NBA’s 30 teams and 450 total roster spots, and you see the squeeze. Moreover, when veterans hang on deep into their careers, those limited opportunities for rising stars shrink even further.
So maybe, just maybe, “#itstime,” as one person suggested. But time for what? For some vets to call it a career? Or for the league to finally expand and create more spots for young talent? What do you think?
The post Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray Face Heat After 17-Point Showing in Aces’ Loss to Fever appeared first on EssentiallySports.
