The Indiana Fever are fresh off a breakout season where Caitlin Clark took the W by storm. Her excellence on the on-court and popularity off it lifted the Fever back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. It also brought the best out of Kelsey Mitchell. She was an All-Star for the second time and finished tenth in MVP voting, but will she stay in Indiana?
Mitchell can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Fans are convinced she will return, and the Fever could make it a reality by making her a core player. There is certainly interest from Indiana, but the new front office wants to build a title contender around Clark. Does Mitchell fit into those plans?
It is not an easy decision. Mitchell will only sign a one-year contract as the salary cap is expected to rise significantly in 2026. The Fever want to be title contenders. Can they do that with their current Big 3? Here are the reasons for and against re-signing Kelsey Mitchell.
Bring back: Chemistry
Mitchell has a close relationship with Clark. The 5’8 guard had arguably the best season of her career playing off the rookie. Mitchell averaged 19.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 32.0 minutes per game, but it was more than that. The Fever players had a tight bond, and Mitchell just sat next to Clark at a Pacers preseason game.
Caitlin Clark & Kelsey Mitchell are back in @GainbridgeFH for tonight's @Pacers preseason game 🙌🔥 pic.twitter.com/kJYiqtLwCt
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) October 14, 2024
Continuity helps, especially in a league with so much concentrated talent. Clark and Mitchell formed a unique connection on the floor that brought the best out of both players. The Fever had the best offensive rating in the W after the Olympic break, and Mitchell played a crucial role in that.
The familiarity is nice, but the 28-year-old is a strong fit next to Caitlin Clark in the Fever’s backcourt.
Bring back: Shooting
The Fever want to put shooters around Caitlin Clark. The 22-year-old bends the defense with her playmaking, jumper, and scoring. Indiana’s goal is to maximize the space to create plenty of easy buckets.
Mitchell shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range in 2024 on 6.8 attempts per game. She was seventh in attempts and no player who shot more was close to her percentage. Mitchell was one of four players to shoot north of 40 percent on more than five attempts each night.
Teams are not leaving her open on the perimeter, and playing next to Clark unlocked her offense. Mitchell was eighth in scoring with a career-high 19.2 points per game and finished tenth in MVP voting.
The Fever will struggle to find an All-Star replacement if she departs in free agency, but they won’t find one with her shooting gravity. There is just one thing lacking from Mitchell’s game that the Fever desperately need.
Let walk: Defense
The Fever must improve on this end of the floor if they want to become serious title contenders. They finished 11th of 12 teams in defensive rating and were 2.1 points per 100 possessions worse than the next team that made the playoffs. Clark is not known for her defense but must step on that end of the floor.
Can the Fever win with subpar defense in the backcourt? Mitchell is 5’8 and has struggled on this end of the floor. Many thought she might head to the bench as a score-first option in the second unit, but her play was just too good to keep her off the floor. Mitchell must improve her defense as the Fever up their commitment level in a championship chase.
This is the one drawback, but the two-time All-Star possesses the hardest skill to find.
Bring back: Scoring
Mitchell has averaged over 17 points per game for five straight years, and her production has steadily risen. Her efficiency improved playing off Clark, and the Fever have two elite scorers. Just 14 players in the W averaged over 17 points per game last season. Mitchell is a bucket, and the Fever won’t be able to replace that production.
Only five players topped 20 points per game in 2024, but the Fever may have two of them next season. Mitchell and Clark both averaged over 24 every night after the Olympic break with the exclusion of the final game where the starters played sparingly. They are an elite offensive duo, and the best is yet to come in year two.
The Indiana Fever must bring Kelsey Mitchell back. They can core her, and every free agent wants a one-year deal this offseason with the cap expected to rise significantly in 2026. The Fever want to be in title contention next season, and keeping Mitchell is a key piece of that plan.