The WNBA season may be over, but there are still storylines to follow, like the Golden State Valkyries’ expansion draft, CBA negotiations, Unrivaled’s inaugural season, and an interesting free agent class.
Free agency does not start until February, but there are still plenty of speculations and rumors floating around. After all, this free agency class features some big names. Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, DeWanna Bonner, Kelsey Plum, and Satou Sabally are just some of the players headlining the newest group of WNBA free agents.
The Indiana Fever have some players hitting free agency as well, and thus some tough decisions to make. After last season’s success and the hype around Caitlin Clark, the Fever are gearing up for contention. The organization has already made changes to the front office and hired Stephanie White to replace Christie Sides as the head coach. Now, they just need to figure out the right players to put around Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston.
That will not include everyone from the 2024 roster.
Most likely to return: Kelsey Mitchell
Kelsey Mitchell is the biggest name on the Fever’s free agent list. She was the team’s second-leading scorer last season and had a career year as a scorer. Mitchell really seemed to thrive next to Caitlin Clark, and fans were eager to see her return.
As a free agent, her future with the team was up in the air, though. Until Stephanie White’s introductory press conference, that is. White spoke glowingly about the Fever’s big three, and it was later confirmed that she did indeed mean Clark, Boston, and Mitchell.
So, it seems that Mitchell’s future with the team is already decided, and she will almost certainly be back in Indiana next season.
Not very likely to return: Temi Fagbenle
During the regular season, Temi Fagbenle struggled with some injuries and only played 22 games. Over those 22 games, she averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.9 minutes. During the playoffs, she played 24 minutes per game, averaging 4.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Fagbenle was not a bad backup big but has no 3-point shot and is not a great rim-protector either. Plus, she is already 32, does not fit the Fever’s timeline, and it is questionable how reliable she will be next season.
The Fever could certainly use an upgrade, and it would not be surprising to see Fagbenle on a different team next season. At the same time, though, she is a restricted free agent, and depending on how much other teams are willing to offer and which other players are available to the Fever, they could also decide to keep her around on a short-term deal.
Least likely to return: Erica Wheeler
In 2024, Erica Wheeler was the second-highest-paid player on the Fever’s roster but did not play like it. Wheeler averaged 3.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 14 minutes per game, as she moved to the bench to backup Caitlin Clark. That marked the fewest minutes she has averaged since 2015 and the least points she has averaged in her career so far.
Wheeler is already 33 years old but still has time left as a professional basketball player and will likely try to find a team willing to offer her a bigger role and maybe even more money than the Fever. Meanwhile, the Fever will probably look to find a backup guard with a better three-point shot who fits the team’s timeline a little better as well.
Over her career, Wheeler has played six seasons with the Fever over two stints, but her time in Indiana might be over for good this time around.