The WNBA season tipped off Friday with a four-game slate featuring super teams and sterling debuts for the league’s young stars.

Yet we’ve got our eyes on Saturday’s debut for the Las Vegas Aces, who open their title defense against a Seattle Storm squad with nothing to lose.

The weight of expectations is squarely on Las Vegas, which is looking to become the WNBA’s first repeat champion since the 2001-02 Sparks.

And it certainly has the talent to pull that off.

(3 p.m. Eastern)

Yet that offseason excitement was tempered by the league’s suspension of Becky Hammon for two games, including the opener, for violating workplace policies, while also stripping the team of its 2025 first-round pick for impermissible player benefits.

Not every off-court distraction is an on-court concern, but trying to integrate two-time MVP Candace Parker into a title rotation without the reigning Coach of the Year is a tall task indeed.

It also comes in a tough spot against the Storm, who still have All-Star talent on their roster and should be motivated to make a statement here after losing two franchise pillars this offseason.

Storm, +12.