The Indiana Fever has been forced to make dramatic cuts to the team's training camp roster so far this preseason: Jillian Alleyne, Yvonne Ejim, and Bree Hall were all waived following the team's 108-44 win over the Brazilian National Team on Sunday, May 4. This leaves two athletes battling for one spot: Makayla Timpson and Jaelyn Brown.
Timpson and Brown had wildly different paths to get to the Fever, but the fact that they both landed in Indiana was due to the same blockbuster trade. Back in February the Fever were part of a huge trade that sent NaLyssa Smith to the Dallas Wings and brought Sophie Cunningham and Brown to the Fever. The trade also gave the Fever the 19th overall pick in this year's draft — the very spot the team selected Timpson at.
Cap space is an issue for the Fever
WNBA teams are allowed to fill their rosters with 12 athletes, but this year the Fever's cap space is maxed out in part due to the team's decision to part ways with Katie Lou Samuelson earlier this year. That decision included a buyout to the tune of $106,419 — all of which counts toward the Fever's overall spending power this year.
This leaves the team in a tough spot when it comes to Brown and Timpson.
The Indiana Fever can only select one
Jaelyn Brown was not selected in the 2020 WNBA Draft and signed a professional contract with Toulouse Métropole Basket in August of the same year. She moved on to Sweden in 2021, and then played in Hungary, Turkey, Israel, and Mexico. The Dallas Wings signed Brown to a training camp contract in February 2024, and in her first preseason game that year she dropped 21 points — the same as then-rookie Caitlin Clark.
Timpson, who played 9 minutes against Brazil and scored 9 points, was drafted by the Fever in 2025. She has received high praise from her teammates and Coach Stephanie White, who told the Indianapolis Star May 7, "She doesn't get rushed. She stays patient. If she doesn't know what to do, she doesn't get antsy. And that's something you can't teach, and I'm really impressed with that."
The Fever's next preseason match is against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, May 10, and the team has to make a final roster cut before the season begins on May 16. It's likely a decision will be made soon after this weekend's game, which would still give the Fever time to finalize the team's roster and rotations before their home opener against the Sky on May 17