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Caitlin Clark was a revelation for the Indiana Fever last season, running away with Rookie of the Year honors after setting the WNBA on fire in her first year as a pro. The Fever have been busy this offseason as they try to improve their roster around Clark, who has gained respect and intrigue from players around the league, a few of which signed with the Fever for the chance to play with her.
The Indiana Fever have added names like DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard to their roster while also retaining All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell, but they aren’t done building around Clark yet. The team recently cut Katie Lou Samuelson, opening up an additional $117,000 in cap space for them to use to add another name to their roster.
The Fever have been adamant on making the most of the team’s success now while Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are still on their rookie deals. Adding another proven player to their roster would position the Fever to improve on a promising season as they look to get past the first round of the playoff. Surveying the WNBA free agency landscape, here are a few names that the Fever could target.
G Erica Wheeler
Wheeler has been with the Indiana Fever since 2023 after bouncing around the WNBA, but she played a rotational role off the bench behind Caitlin Clark, spelling her and Mitchel when they took their rest last season. She wouldn’t figure to play a big role on the team moving forward, but bringing her back helps the Indiana Fever to maintain their continuity and chemistry.
Wheeler brings veteran experience to the Fever alongside Mitchell and Natasha Howard and would continue to serve as a mentor to Clark. One of the bigger issues for the Fever last season was a lack of maturity and intensity they displayed, especially in their playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury. Retaining Wheeler would help them remedy that problem.
F Isabelle Harrison
Harrison is expecting a larger contract than the Fever can offer her, but the fact that she remains unsigned could hint that her expectations may be set a bit too high. She is a great fit on the Fever, helping to shore up their front line, one of the weaker parts of the team last season.
Adding Isabelle Harrison would give the Fever four players over 6-foot-2, allowing them to always have an interior presence on the court. Harrison’s free throw shooting is another plus, giving Caitlin Clark a steady hand at the line at the end of close games when teams are denying her the ball.
C Mercedes Russell
In the same vein as Harrison, Russell brings size and defense to the Fever frontcourt, standing at 6-foot-6. Adding Russell means that DeWanna Bonner and Aliyah Boston can more comfortably play at the power forward position, stretching the floor for the Fever’s offense.
Caitlin Clark was hounded because of the team’s poor shooting last season, but adding Russell gives her another excellent screen-setter and roller to the rim in pick-and-roll as well as bigger driving lanes. At this point, the Fever are searching for one last contributor to provide them with rebounding and effciency in decreased minutes, both of which Russell can provide.
The Fever are well-positioned to be in title talks throughout the 2025 season, but adding one last significant free agent could put Caitlin Clark and Co. over the top as they look to capitalize on one of the best talents the WNBA has ever seen.
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Edited by Zachary Howell
