Aces' Candace Parker had surgery for fractured foot

Parker hasn't played since the Aces' July 7 loss to the Dallas Wings. The fairly late tweet—12 a.m. EST, 9 p.m. PST—certainly has the potential to change the fortunes of the defending WNBA champs, even though they are by far the best team in the league at 21-2.

Las Vegas isn't exactly devoid of talent—far from it with A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray and the emergent Jackie Young forming a historically dominant lineup. Even with Parker out of the lineup, the champs won all five games in her absence. According to Las Vegas Review-Journal scribe Andy Yamashita, their offensive and defensive metrics have actually gone up since Parker sat out, although they've faced the bottom rung of teams in the W.

The Aces were headed to Chicago to take on the Sky in what would have been Parker's first visit to the city since leaving her hometown squad in the offseason to join the champs. For Las Vegas, the future Basketball Hall of Famer hasn't been asked to carry the load she had in Los Angeles or Chicago, averaging career lows in the major statistical categories, including 9.0 points and 5.4 rebounds. Playing alongside the reigning league MVP in Wilson, last year's Finals MVP in Gray and scorers like Plum and Young depresses the numbers but not the veteran savvy and impact.

The champs are on a historical tear but the schedule could be a bit daunting without Parker after the Chicago game. From July 30 through Aug. 17, they have seven straight games against teams jostling for playoff positioning, including two against the New York Liberty, the team many expect the Aces to face in the WNBA Finals in September.