The Indiana Fever enters a pivotal offseason that could well determine the franchise’s future direction under Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Stephanie White.
After a team-record 28-win season in 2026, the Fever fired general manager Amber Cox as team president Kelly Krauskopf stepped down following a first-round playoff exit to the Las Vegas Aces.
Despite a record-setting offense piloted by Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever continued to struggle on the defensive end. Indiana ranked ninth in defensive rating and 11th out of 15 teams in points allowed per game.
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Mitchell is a pending free agent, and her future with the Fever is up in the air. Re-signing the All-Star guard is Indiana’s top priority, once it gets its front office in order.
The Indiana Fever have hired Sheri Sam as assistant GM, according to the @IndyStarSports. Sam played 10 seasons in the WNBA and previously served as a scouting manager for the Trail Blazers. https://t.co/sMAd5NYTIr
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 30, 2026
But a close second is identifying players who can bring strong perimeter defense, as Sabreena Merchant wrote in The Athletic on Tuesday.
“Indiana wasn’t good enough to win a title last season even with its historic offensive output,” Merchant said. “The Fever need someone other than Lexie Hull who can guard on the perimeter.”
There are choices on the free agent market. Aces forward Stephanie Talbot and New York Liberty guard Rebekah Gardner are well-regarded for their defensive impact, and Chicago Sky guard Aicha Coulibaly is another strong defender slated to hit the market.
