The next few months will be crucial for Indiana. Beyond the CBA negotiations, the Fever’s front office faces a complex mission ahead: maintaining the core of players that led them to last year’s WNBA playoffs and surrounding Caitlin Clark with a supporting cast that can repeat the feat next year.
The front office’s plan last offseason was clear: to surround its young core of players, made up of Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, with a roster of veterans that would bolster the team in key moments.
However, injuries that sidelined Clark, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, and Aari McDonald for the entire season forced the front office to improvise every other week.
Still, the Fever not only reached the postseason, they defeated the third-seeded Atlanta Dream in the first round and gave the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces a run for their money in the semifinals.
Now, the front office’s challenge is to build on that success.
The task for the Fever front office
Of the 13 players currently on Indiana’s roster, only Clark and Boston are under contract for next season, as both are still under their rookie contracts.
Of the remaining players, there are seven free agents, six of whom are unrestricted-meaning they can be signed by any team under any deal-and one who is restricted, whom the team can retain by matching any offer sheet.
This is the status of the Fever’s stars:
Restricted free agent
- Lexie Hull
Unrestricted free agents
- Kelsey Mitchell
- Sophie Cunningham
- Natasha Howard
- Aari McDonald
- Odyseey Sims
- Damaris Dantas
Indiana’s priorities
Leaving their final game of the season on September 30, general manager Amber Cox stated, “The priority will be Kelsey Mitchell, making sure she remains in a Fever jersey.”
However, players like Hull, Cunningham, and McDonald also proved vital in the team’s playoff run. The first two made great contributions off the bench, and McDonald was key as a starter.
Furthermore, Clark cultivated a good relationship with all three, and bringing them back would not only solidify Indiana’s roster but also make their star happy.
The front office has clearly defined its tasks for the upcoming offseason. Now, much will depend on the results of the negotiations for the CBA and the salary cap for 2026.
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