The Indiana Fever could make a run for the WNBA championship in 2026 with superstar guard Caitlin Clark back on the court, but there’s front office business that needs to happen first.
Nearly all of the Fever’s roster needs to be re-signed, and potential leaguewide changes are coming with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement near the end. That said, Fever head coach Stephanie White acknowledged changes coming after Tuesday’s season-ending loss in the semifinals, but Fever general manager Amber Cox promised on Thursday that the team won’t miss the top free agent priority of the offseason.
“I’m going to sound like a broken record from last year. The priority will be Kelsey Mitchell, and making sure she remains in a Fever jersey,” Cox told reporters. “Wow. What a season for her. She laid it all out on the line… Obviously, sad the way that it ended for her in Game 5. But just tremendous.”
Mitchell re-signed with the Fever last offseason on a one-year contract, and she had a big season with 20.2 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. She played a major role in the Fever reaching the semifinals without Clark and pushing the Las Vegas Aces to five games.
“[Mitchell] will continue to be a focal point as we enter free agency,” she added.
Kelsey Mitchell is Just the Start For Fever
After Mitchell, there are many more players for the Fever to lock down for 2026, including star guard Sophie Cunningham, who tallied 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game before her season-ending injury.
Forward Natasha Howard also needs to be re-signed, and she provided the Fever with 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season. The Fever can also ill-afford to lose Aerial Powers in free agency after a solid 2025 season where she averaged nine points and 4.6 rebounds per contest.
It also behooves the Fever to re-sign Lexie Hull after her 7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game averages in 2025. Odyssey Sims likewise is a player the Fever can ill-afford to see walk after her 10.3 points and four assists per contest in 2025. Other Fever players to watch for in free agency include Chloe Bibby, Aari McDonald, Damiris Dantas, Sydney Colson, Brianna Turner, and Shey Peddy.
Kelsey Mitchell Game 5 Incident a Scare but Will Return
Mitchell didn’t finish game five due to an apparent leg injury that was later confirmed as severe cramping. She shared the details on social media on Wednesday and assured fans she will be back on the court right away next season.
“I suffered from something called Rhabdomyolysis,” Mitchell detailed on X.com. “My muscles stopped producing and reached it’s maximum capacity. I went into a sense of numbness/paralyzing feeling with no movement from my lower extremities for up to five to seven seconds, because my muscles stopped producing positive blood to my bloodstream, my body locked up from a physical standpoint and from there fatigue and cramping settled in. It sucked.”
“I panicked because I began to think the worse when I felt like I couldn’t move my legs,” she continued. “It was an out of body experience for me, and I think God for covering me at a time like that. So today on Oct. 1, I am walking and moving at a slow pace, but I will be fine very soon. I want to thank the Fever medical team, Vegas medical team, and the staff at the local hospital for keeping me safe.”