The Seattle Storm announced Wednesday that they would be signing former Indiana Fever guard Erica Wheeler to a training camp contract.
The Indiana Fever have had a busy offseason, almost completely overhauling the roster with the exception of a six-player core: Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, Kristy Wallace, and Damiris Dantas.
With the additions of veterans DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard, the Fever's frontcourt woes have seemingly been addressed. Bonner and Howard both come from winning cultures, boasting five WNBA titles between the two of them. With Boston playing down low, and Dantas to back her up, the Fever now have a formidable set of bigs.
But how about the backcourt?
The guards are a position group that has not received a ton of attention this offseason. The biggest storyline was whether or not Mitchell would re-sign, and once she did there was no question that she and Clark would reprise their starting roles.
But in 2024, Clark and Mitchell made up a vast majority of the production offensively out of the backcourt. The bench included Hull, Wheeler, Wallace, and Grace Berger. While Hull worked her way into the starting lineup on the wing, the remaining three each averaged less than five points per game.
The Fever retain Hull and Wallace, both under contract through the 2025 season. Wheeler and Berger are replaced by two more veterans: Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson.
Cunningham is entering her seventh year in the league, spending the first six with the Phoenix Mercury. Cunningham played alongside the widely-regarded greatest player of all time in Diana Taurasi, who is known for her winning mentality. Cunningham will likely add to the culture the Fever hope to establish along with Bonner and Howard.
Speaking of winning cultures, Colson comes to Indianapolis after spending the last three seasons with the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces won two WNBA titles during Colson's time there, winning back-to-back in 2022 and 2023. Colson, having played with players like A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Candace Parker, and Chelsea Gray, will likely be another vocal presence in the locker room.
Projected rotation
Clark and Mitchell will start, no doubt about it. The dynamic guard duo averaged 19.2 points per game apiece, accounting for nearly half of the league's highest-scoring offense.
The bench rotation gets interesting, though. Hull had a career year in 2024, finishing 5th in the voting for WNBA 6th Player of the Year. Aside from playing both guard and forward last season, Hull also added intensity on the defensive side of the ball. Hustle plays and hounding defense became her staple, meaning that she will have a big role off of the bench.
Cunningham also has the ability to play forward, standing at 6-foot-1. This means that both Hull and Cunningham can share the court with Colson in the second unit, and that the Fever have a ton of flexibility when drawing up potential lineups.
The starters will likely be Clark, Mitchell, Bonner, Howard, and Boston. The second unit will likely be Colson, Wallace, Hull, Cunningham, and Dantas in a four-guard set. But having those taller guards means that head coach Stephanie White can play more of a "plug-and-play" style. The only players that are limited to their listed positions are Clark, Mitchell, Howard, and Boston. Everyone else can play around those four based on need.
The Fever are not only a talented team after this offseason-- the Fever are one of the most versatile.