The Indiana Fever are back. Caitlin Clark is already an unquestioned superstar, and the 22-year-old only gets better from here. The Fever made the playoffs for the first time since 2016, but want to build a title contender around Clark. They will be doing so with a fresh front office.
Indiana brought back Kelly Krauskopf to lead the way at the end of the 2024 season. She was the architect of the Fever’s title-contenders built around Tamika Catchings. Now, Krauskopf has a new generational talent at the center of her roster. The Fever's president brought in Amber Cox as the new general manager and made former GM Lin Dunn a senior advisor.
Dunn took over as the top decision-maker in 2022. The legend was the Fever’s coach of their championship squad in 2012 and was responsible for drafting Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston as general manager. Dunn helped Indiana get back into contention, but these moves were disastrous.
5. Waive Lindsay Allen
The 5’8 guard was traded to the Fever in 2021 for the Aces to move up from 24th overall to 14th in the draft. Allen played 17.8 minutes per game and produced a team-high 96 assists. The Fever won just six games but brought her back on a training camp deal shortly before Dunn arrived and waived Allen two days prior to the start of the regular season.
Allen played just nine games in 2022 but started 20 for the Lynx in 2023 and played a key role for the Sky in 2024. The 26-year-old was just entering her prime when the Fever let her walk. Allen has been a productive role player since leaving Indiana, and the franchise cannot afford to just let talent walk out the door.
This was not the worst move of Dunn’s tenure, but it was a precursor to her giving up on players too soon.
4. Signing Katie Lou Samuelson
Dunn signed Katie Lou to a two-year deal worth $355,250 in the 2024 offseason. The 6’3 forward was fresh off missing the entire 2023 season for maternity and had played for four different franchises in her first four WNBA seasons. Samuelson was a starter and plus-shooter the last time she was on the floor, but it would always be a slow ramp-up after missing an entire year.
The third-highest-paid player on the Fever averaged 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 18.2 minutes per game. She began the year as a starter before tumbling out of the rotation entirely in the playoffs. Samuelson struggles to hit shots and creates issues moving forward.
It will be difficult to move her expiring contract this offseason. The 28-year-old is unlikely to produce enough value for the dollars. If Dunn had spent this money on a better fit, the Fever would have been even better in year one with Caitlin Clark.
3. Cutting Emily Engstler
Dunn drafted Engstler with the fourth overall pick in 2022 and cut her one year later. The 6’1 forward shot 35.6 percent from 3-point range and showed some positives as a rookie. Indiana won just five games, but the Fever were still rebuilding in 2023.
Engstler struggled in 2023 but closed the 2024 season strong. Over her final 12 games, the 24-year-old averaged 9.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks in 20.7 minutes per game. She shot 54.2 percent from the field and 52.8 percent on his threes over that stretch.
A floor-spacing forward with a versatile skill set is just what the Indiana Fever need around Caitlin Clark, but general manager Lin Dunn was too quick to cut bait. This move was made even worse by the trade that moved the Fever up in the 2022 draft.
2. Teaira McCowan trade
The Fever drafted McCowan third overall in 2019, and the 6’7 center played a key role in her three seasons in Indiana. She had a 0.187 win shares per 48 minutes, which is well above the league average of 0.100.
When Lin Dunn arrived, McCowan was traded to Dallas in a wild deal. The Fever moved up from seventh to fourth in the 2022 draft and swapped picks with the Wings in 2023. For moving up a total of seven spots over two drafts, Dunn parted ways with McCowan.
The 6’7 center finished fifth in Most Improved Player voting the year after leaving the Fever and has been a starter for the Wings in each of the last two seasons, which includes their 2023 run to the semifinals. The Fever need a five with size for certain matchups, and they had her on their roster before Dunn pulled off this deal.
1. Waive Alanna Smith
This was the biggest blunder of Dunn’s tenure and showcased her struggles evaluating talent. The Fever signed Smith and kept her for the 2022 season. She played in just nine games and was an afterthought in the rotation. The 6’4 forward struggled to get minutes in her first four WNBA seasons, and the Fever quickly moved on.
She was waived following the 2022 season and signed with the Sky for 2023. Smith was a starter and a two-way force immediately. She finished third in Most Improved Player voting and helped Chicago make the playoffs.
Smith took her game to another level with the Lynx this season. Smith finished second-team All-defense and averaged 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 26.5 minutes. She shot 39.8 percent from 3-point range and every team wants her on their roster.
The Indiana Fever made some blunders in the Lin Dunn era, but it should not take away from her legendary career with the franchise. She is an icon and championship-winning head coach. Dunn should be celebrated, but the franchise needed a fresh voice to become a serious title contender. They have it, but only time will tell if it is the right one.