When the Las Vegas Aces took over the Chicago Sky on Sunday, fans were surprised to see Megan Gustafson in the starting five. Gustafson has played 27 games for the Aces, starting only one. While her contribution hasn’t been much, she has helped Aces star A’ja Wilson play the forward position, while Gustafson fills the center role. However, when Gustafson isn’t playing, Wilson plays her trade as a center, while Alysha Clark plays forward. Fans are suggesting that instead of Gustafson, head coach Becky Hammon could keep Wilson at center and instead switch out one of the guards by inserting Kate Martin into the starting five. That would give Wilson her favorite position where she performs well and allow Clark to play while resting one of their two guards.

But while some fans support this idea, there are also Aces fans who reject the proposal, arguing that Martin has only started one game this season and therefore does not have much experience. Today, Essentially Sports evaluates the starting lineup to see if Martin can start in the upcoming game against the Dallas Wings, scheduled for Tuesday in a few hours.

Can Kate Martin start?

The Aces are looking for a three-peat and currently sit fourth in the league with an 18-11 record. Although they were favorites to win the championship this season, New York Liberty has executed their plans more than any other team. In the remaining 11 games, the Aces will have to prove their dominance if they want to be taken seriously for the championship. So a small change in their starting five could surprise their opponents and also be deadly for them.

Martin has only started one game, and that was in June when the Aces took on the Los Angeles Sparks. In that game, Martin scored a solid 13 points and helped her team come back from the deficit, as the Sparks defeated them by a margin of 96-92. What’s commendable is that even as a guard, Martin had 4 rebounds and 3 assists, which makes a strong case for her to be part of the starting five.

Since Wilson is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, Martin can contribute as a third or fourth player. She can be a facilitator for Wilson who has to push herself when the Aces need to press the button for their offensive game and win by a large margin. In such cases, Martin would be better because she knows she doesn’t have to take on an alpha role and can easily adapt. What takes away from her credibility, however, is that she doesn’t have much experience as a starter.

The Downside of Starting Kate Martin

The downside to starting Martin is that either Kelsey Plum or Chelsea Gray will have to sit on the bench and not be included in the starting five. While this can help with rotation, as Hammon can wisely choose other players in crucial situations, it also means there can be a problem with team dynamics, as Gray and Plum are considered better players than Martin.

Furthermore, Gray has not only played the role of facilitator so far, but she also knows how to easily transform into an alpha when the situation calls for it, especially in cases where Wilson and Plum are being screened. This is something that WNBA fans still see in Martin. And that is why it is against her.

So Martin could start, but only if Hammon is sure she brings everything Gray has to the table. Otherwise, it would be wiser to rotate Martin later in the game and keep her on the bench initially. Maybe before the Aces take on the Wings today, Hammon will consider all her options. And hopefully make the right decision. Because ultimately, it would have to help the Aces make a daunting run to the playoffs.

Stay tuned for more updates like this and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.