Last Week in Las Vegas Sports (Oct 7-13)

The Raiders face another loss, the Aces might be losing crucial players, the Golden Knights ride a hot streak, and more last week in Las Vegas Sports (Oct 7-13).

#5 Several Las Vegas Aces players are set to be free agents in 2025


[caption id="attachment_56013" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Las Vegas Aces[/caption]

Change could be the theme for the Las Vegas Aces in 2025 because several key players are set to become free agents. This includes Tiffany Haynes, Alysha Clark, and Kelsey Plum. That last one MIGHT be the biggest problem for the former champions. Sue Bird discussed this during her podcast A Touch More.

“So it’s interesting because I think this offseason could be wild for them. You know, the facts are Plum is a free agent, AC is a free agent, and Tiffany Hayes is a free agent,” Bird noted, emphasizing the potential impact on the franchise’s future. The Aces currently lack a first-round pick for the 2025 draft due to league penalties but still possess their second and third-round selections, as well as an extra second-rounder from the Amanda Zahui B trade.

There is also talk of coring Plum and giving her a max contract. According to Bird, however, this puts the Aces in a financial squeeze. The ramifications of this choice could significantly impact the team’s ability to remain competitive while navigating salary cap constraints. 

#4 Pittsburgh Steelers emerge as a contender for Adams 


[caption id="attachment_64391" align="alignnone" width="819"]Las Vegas Raiders, Davante Adams, Las Vegas sports news, Las Vegas sports, Source. Las Vegas Raiders[/caption]

Davante Adams wants out of Las Vegas, creating a lot of excitement from teams hoping to land him. The teams at the top of the board are the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints. It's reported that the Saints are slightly ahead in the race for the star. 

But, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Pittsburgh Steelers are also negotiating for Adams. The Raiders have clarified that they will accept no less than a second-round pick, among other considerations. 

Schefter is unsure how aggressively the Steelers are pursuing Adams due to his hamstring injury, but there is interest.  The injury has left Adams out of action for the last three weeks and slowed down trade talks immensely. Before the injury, Adams has 18 receptions for 209 yards and one touchdown. 

#3 NFL owners to vote on Tom Brady’s minority stake in Las Vegas Raiders 


[caption id="attachment_64390" align="alignnone" width="1024"]Las Vegas Raiders, Tom Brady, Tom Brady minority ownership Source. NFL[/caption]

After several delays, NFL owners are set to vote on Tom Brady's ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. The owners are expected to approve the measure, making Brady the third player/owner in NFL history. He also has a minority stake in the Las Vegas Aces, another team that Mark Davis of the Raiders owns.

"We're excited for Tom to join the Raiders," Davis told ESPN's Paul Gutierrez.

Brady is set to own 10% of the Raiders, which amounts to $175 million. The NFL financial board has also given their unanimous approval for the minority stake, but the deal must be restructured to conform with NFL rules.

#2 Golden Knights make it 3-0 with victory over the Anaheim Ducks


[caption id="attachment_64598" align="alignnone" width="819"]Las Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Golden Knights news, Las Vegas sports, Las Vegas sports recaps, Source. Vegas Golden Knights[/caption]

The Las Vegas Golden Knights rode to 3-0 on Sunday after a 3-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks.

Las Vegas first took on the Colorado Avalanche in an 8-4 contest that showed the offense's brute strength. They struck again with a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

In the latest win, Las Vegas and the Ducks traded goals in the first period of the game and held each other scoreless in the second.  The Golden Knights finally broke through in the final period with two goals.

Pavel Dorofeyev, Tomas Hertl, and Brett Howden all knocked in goals. The Golden Knights also proved that teamwork made the dream work with five assists from various players.  Two of them came from Keegan Kolesar.

Ilya Samsonov served as goalie for the Golden Knights and allowed one of 23 pucks past him. This was good enough for a .937 save percentage and a 1-0 record as a starter.

#1 Las Vegas Raiders get smashed by The Steel Curtain


[caption id="attachment_64460" align="alignnone" width="819"]Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Raiders versus Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas sports, Las Vegas, Source. Las Vegas Raiders[/caption]

Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders are in big trouble after a 32-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The loss brings Las Vegas to 2-4 this season and makes them one of the biggest playoff longshots in the league. They are now dead last in the AFC West.

Aidan O'Connell got the start but didn't do much with it. He went 27 of 40 for 227 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against the Steelers' defense. The Raiders struck first with a four-yard punch in by Alexander Mattison to take a seven-point lead, but things turned ugly.

The running game didn't produce much after the initial touchdown, making it difficult for the Raiders to move the ball. For example, Mattison took 14 carries for 33 yards and an average of  2.4 yards a carry during the game. Ameer Abdullah tried his best to make the run game work but didn't make much progress. In Sunday's loss, he finished with four carries for 24 yards and six yards a carry.

Aidan O'Connell also doesn't look ready to lead the Las Vegas Raiders after failing to score until the second half of the game. His interception shows he still struggles under pressure and might need more snaps under center.

The Raiders now take on the 1-4 Los Angeles Rams next Sunday in an afternoon game, and it doesn't look good. They tried a new quarterback, but that failed miserably. The team also tried to mix up the running game, which resulted in little getting done. And then there's the defense that folded right on cue against the Steelers. It's just a mess, and there's nowhere to go.