The defending champion Las Vegas Aces are taking their time—and they can afford to. With a roster stacked with veteran talent and fresh faces, head coach Becky Hammon is in no rush to lock in her starting five ahead of the May 9 Ring Night season opener against the Phoenix Mercury. For a team that has been here before, patience is a luxury worth using.

Thanks to the offseason additions of three seasoned pros and two rookies, the Aces have a wealth of options to fill that fifth starting spot. Hammon plans to use the early games as a testing ground, searching for the perfect chemistry and balance from tip-off.

After two preseason matchups, the early favorite is clear: newcomer Stephanie Talbot has started both contests. Against Japan, she helped the Aces to a 94-78 win, and in a 101-84 loss to Dallas on Sunday, she held her own alongside stars A'ja Wilson and NaLyssa Smith. In 19 minutes against the Wings, Talbot posted 8 points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field.

Meanwhile, three-time champion guard Jewell Loyd—who started against Japan—came off the bench against Dallas. Despite the demotion, she led all Aces players with 28 minutes on the floor, a sign that her role remains vital, just perhaps not as a starter—for now.

Hammon has made defense the offseason mantra, so the slow start against Dallas raised eyebrows. The Aces fell behind the young Wings 35-20 in the first quarter and never recovered. But Hammon views it as part of the process. "Defensively, we’re going to be a work in progress," she said during Monday's national Zoom availability. "We're still early in training camp. The good thing is I have a team that knows what it takes and what it looks like. Now, it's just about building those habits and being consistent—taking pride in every possession."

That defensive-first mindset could keep Loyd in a sixth-woman role, a spot she thrived in during last year's championship run. Known more for her scoring punch than lockdown defense, Loyd arrived from Seattle in a trade involving Kelsey Plum, and her ability to ignite the second unit may prove too valuable to disrupt.

With a deep, experienced roster and a coach who knows how to win, the Aces are approaching this season the same way they approach every game: methodically, with an eye on the bigger prize. The fifth starter spot is still up for grabs, but the options are plentiful—and that's exactly how a champion wants it.