As the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft approaches, all eyes are on the Golden State Valkyries, who hold a significant advantage in selecting players from other teams. The Indiana Fever, however, may be in a position to make a game-changing move. With the league’s 12 teams allowed to protect six players from being drafted, there will be a pool of talented players available, and the Fever could be looking to leverage their position to avoid losing valuable assets.
Many analysts predict that teams will protect their key rotation players, along with those under unique protection clauses. However, with concerns about potential losses around their superstar, Caitlin Clark, the Fever might consider a bold approach. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton suggested that the Fever could trade with the Valkyries to have them select Katie Lou Samuelson, a player who is currently under contract for a team-high salary of $180,250 in 2025. While Samuelson’s role diminished toward the end of the 2024 season, her contract and salary could make her an appealing option for a trade.
In Pelton’s mock expansion draft, this trade strategy would be the first of its kind, with the Fever offering a future 2026 WNBA Draft pick in exchange for the Valkyries agreeing to select Samuelson. This would allow the Fever to offload Samuelson’s high salary, freeing up valuable cap space for future signings. For the Valkyries, selecting Samuelson and waiving her would provide them with an additional 2026 draft pick, which could be used to strengthen their roster in the future.
If this deal does not come through before the draft, the Fever may face the risk of losing other key players like Temi Fagbenle, Damiris Dantas, or Grace Berger. Trades before the expansion draft have proven to be effective in other women’s professional leagues, such as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where teams have successfully traded to protect roster spots ahead of expansion. The Fever’s strategy would allow them to continue building a competitive team around their rising stars like Clark and Aliyah Boston, whose rookie contracts provide them with flexibility.
Ultimately, this expansion draft presents the Fever with a critical opportunity to strengthen their roster, potentially freeing up cap space for impactful signings that could elevate them into true WNBA contenders. As the draft unfolds, it will be interesting to see whether this strategy pays off or if other teams step in with their own clever moves to shape the league’s future.
THEY LOST TEMI .
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD CHOICE.