Coming off a breakout season, the Indiana Fever must prove they aren’t just a one-hit wonder.
Indiana has the two former recent WNBA Rookie of the Year award winner’s in Aliyah Boston (2023) and Caitlin Clark (2024) as the franchises young cornerstones. They hope to build around the two talents to bring back a winning culture in the basketball state.
To take that next step they need to make some moves. They struggled a lot at the beginning of the season unable to find a rhythm with several key players players. They also lacked experience and the presence of veteran players which played a large role in their first-round playoff elimination to the Connecticut Sun.
Two key moves can help Indiana become stronger.
The Fever need to stablize the power forward position
At the start of the season and especially during preseason Nalyssa Smith was on a roll and looked ready to have a great season. While she started most games, her scoring was inconsistent, she struggled defensively to keep up with the other team’s star players. As the season went on her minutes dropped.
She ended up averaging 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game but shot just 29.2 percent from the 3-point line and 56.7 percent from the free throw line. Having a player who can help space the floor better and be a perimeter threat from the power forward position could be a game-changer for Indiana.
It is also worth noting that Smith has had issues with the Fever since the beginning of the season. In the first half, she liked a post that lauded her for being a“walking double-double last year” and criticized her head coach, Christie Sides, for not giving her enough time on the court and her performances. Trade rumors for Smith were on the rise when she removed the team tag from her Instagram bio.
So while they can lose Smith, they also lost Temi Fagbenle for a majority of the season who was a consistent defensive player and contributing scorer. She had three different injuries that kept her out and she ended up playing only 22 games this season. This offseason she is a restricted free agent and if she decides to return to the Fever and can stay healthy it can benefit Indiana.
Some key power forwards who are unrestricted free agents this offseason can be potential targets for Indiana. Natasha Howard could be a name on the list as she has become one of the best power forwards in the WNBA and is a Defensive Player of the Year winner. While she missed six weeks with an injury this past season, she averaged 17.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 27 games for the Dallas Wings.
Nneka Ogqumike is also an unrestricted free agent, and if the Fever can grab her, it would be significant for the team. The 2016 WNBA MVP averaged 16.7 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Seattle Storm this season. She has also spent her entire career on the West Coast, but the lure of playing with a young core can bring her to the Midwest.
Indiana needs to find an upgrade at power forward and someone whose style of play fits better with Aliyah Boston.
The Fever need to add depth to the roster
This past season head coach Christie Sides was bringing three players off the bench each game. Fever starters played 35 or more minutes per game and while Clark stated that she can run whenever is needed, she and every other starter are bound to run out of steam towards the end of the season. Once Indiana got into foul trouble, which happened a lot, it would become a big issue.
First, the Fever should try to re-sign Erica Wheeler to bring a veteran perspective and a player who is consistently ready to come off the bench. As a longtime Fever player, she can provide insight and help out with a young team. Another option is Kia Nurse, who has six years of experience in the WNBA but can also fit in exceptionally well with Kelsey Mitchell’s play style.
While it may not be likely that they can land her, Alysha Clark would be a huge get for Indiana as she can fit right in at the forward slot. Also as a veteran, she can bring in experience and past dominance in the league. She averaged a solid 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds last season while playing a key role in the Las Vegas Aces squad.
It’s clear that the Fever are quite good at picking in the WNBA draft. By adding another key young rookie to the roster for next season can also help with the depth issue. Drafting a player like Janiah Barker out of UCLA could be a boon. They can pair Boston with another young power forward with a dominant presence in the paint. She averaged 12.2 points and 7.6 rebounds last season while making a respectable 23 of 67 3-pointers.
Another potential draft pick could be Azzi Fudd if she falls in the draft, and Indiana could grab her. In 42 college games, she averaged 13.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists. While she has trouble staying healthy, she can be a vital addition to Indiana as she can be a great long-term guard partner along with Clark.
