One of the most compelling narratives heading into the WNBA offseason centered on how the Indiana Fever would construct a championship-caliber roster around Caitlin Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Clark’s stellar debut season solidified her status as one of the league’s premier talents, presenting the Fever with a crucial opportunity to maximize their competitive window while she remains on a rookie contract. The franchise has been strategic in its offseason moves, aiming to fortify the supporting cast around its rising superstar.
Thus far, Indiana has taken significant strides in this endeavor, notably securing the return of Kelsey Mitchell and acquiring seasoned veteran Natasha Howard via free agency. These moves signaled the team’s commitment to immediate improvement, ensuring Clark has a formidable supporting cast on both ends of the floor. However, the Fever made their most pivotal move on Friday, executing a three-team trade that sent NaLyssa Smith to the Dallas Wings. In return, Indiana bolstered its perimeter depth by bringing in Mercury wing Sophie Cunningham.
Following these transactions, Indiana’s projected starting five takes on a new structure:
PG: Caitlin Clark
SG: Kelsey Mitchell
SF: Sophie Cunningham
PF: Natasha Howard
C: Aliyah Boston
Bench Depth: Lexie Hull, Katie Lou Samuelson, Kristy Wallace, Damiris Dantas
Howard seamlessly assumes the power forward role vacated by Smith, offering a higher offensive floor and a vastly superior defensive ceiling. As the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, her versatility enhances Indiana’s ability to guard multiple positions while complementing Clark’s dynamic playmaking. Though her perimeter shooting has fluctuated, Howard proved highly efficient in the mid-range last season, ranking ninth in the league in field goal percentage on attempts from five to ten feet.
Cunningham’s arrival directly addresses one of the Fever’s pressing needs: additional perimeter shooting. While Indiana finished third in three-point percentage last season, the majority of their outside attempts came from Clark and Mitchell, who combined for 15.7 triples per game. By contrast, Cunningham attempted 4.5 threes per contest while converting at a reliable 37.8% clip. Her ability to thrive as a catch-and-shoot specialist makes her an ideal fit alongside Clark, who excels at generating open looks for teammates.
Despite these improvements, Indiana still has lingering concerns, particularly regarding its bench depth. With veteran point guard Erica Wheeler currently a free agent, the team lacks a secondary ball-handler to stabilize the second unit. Fortunately, the Fever possess ample cap space with both Clark and Boston on rookie deals, giving them the financial flexibility to address this gap. Regardless of how the bench is finalized, the starting lineup has seen a clear upgrade. While Smith was an intriguing talent, Howard’s defensive prowess and Cunningham’s perimeter reliability make this iteration of the Fever a more balanced and competitive squad. Although Indiana may still be a piece away from legitimate title contention, they are well-positioned to make a significant impact in the 2025 season.
