Carolyn Swords ends retirement to re-sign with Aces

Carolyn Swords’ retirement was brief.

The veteran center re-signed with the Aces on Tuesday, ending a brief stint in the team’s front office. The 30-year-old has career averages of 3.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in eight seasons, including two with Las Vegas.

“The team needed to fill a spot, I was available and happy to help out the Aces however I can,” Swords said. “I’m definitely having to kind of re-frame what the season looks like, but I think we’re all in that boat anyway.”

Swords retired after the 2019 season and was hired by the franchise in February as a marketing specialist. Aces third-year center JiSu Park is sitting out the 2020 WNBA season to train her native South Korea, leaving a void at backup center that Swords can fill.

“As we continue to look at the makeup of our team in 2020, we felt like Carolyn was the best fit for a role we needed to fill,” Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said in a statement. “Carolyn was happy to jump back into our franchise as a player, and as she always has been, will continue to be a team player.”

The Aces waived fellow veteran center Avery Warley-Talbert and 2020 third-round pick Lauren Manis in corresponding moves.

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.