Caitlin Clark MVP could create Fever dilemma and split her from Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell
Indiana could soon face a major salary cap problem.
Caitlin Clark winning the WNBA MVP award would be another landmark moment for the Indiana Fever star, but it could also create an uncomfortable problem for the franchise.
WNBA analyst Rachel A. DeMita believes the league's new CBA could make it increasingly difficult for Indiana to keep Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell together beyond this season.
The three have become central to the Fever's rise, but their individual success could make retaining the entire group much more expensive.
Caitlin Clark MVP could complicate Fever plans
DeMita explained the potential financial issue in detail in a post shared by Courtside Club.
“So Aliyah Boston is on her EPIC contract, and again this is part of the new CBA, so Aliyah Boston unlocked this maximum contract deal – the supermax deal essentially during her 4th season because of how the new CBA rules are,” DeMita said.
“Now, Caitlin Clark will also be eligible for a max contract next season. Because of this provision, she will be eligible for a supermax contract if she wins MVP this season. Kelsey Mitchell is also on a max contract deal. So with that math and what we’ve kind of all been talking about for the season, why I have been saying for the Fever, it’s championship or bust, because you have three supermax-eligible players, or at least max-eligible players for the squad next year.”
That possibility could force Indiana into difficult decisions even if the team's preferred option is keeping its core intact.
Indiana may struggle to keep its Big Three
DeMita believes the biggest question is whether the Fever can realistically fit all three stars into their future salary structure.
“And I’m just not sure if they have the salary cap, if they have the space to be able to do that for Kelsey, Caitlin, and Aliyah Boston. But after how they’ve performed this season, you’d probably want to keep those three together, specifically Caitlin and Kelsey because they have proven to be the best backcourt, maybe ever, in the WNBA. And so it’s just one of those things – things are gonna start getting really interesting because of this new CBA,” she added.
That makes Clark's MVP pursuit relevant well beyond the individual award itself.
If she wins, Indiana could eventually find itself trying to accommodate three players deserving major contracts at the same time.
The Fever have built their current success around Clark, Boston and Mitchell . The harder task may be making sure that success doesn't ultimately force the trio apart.
