Caitlin Clark plans to get “very involved” as the Fever prepare for a pivotal offseason

he WNBA Finals begin tonight with two franchise programs locked in pursuit of their first title: the Golden State Valkyries , making a historic run in just their second season in the league, and the Atlanta Dream , making their fourth Finals appearance in franchise history.

Under the best-of-seven format, Golden State will host Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 (if necessary), while Atlanta is scheduled to host Games 3, 4, and 6 (if necessary), setting up the season to officially conclude on October 31st in the event of a Game 7.

However, as the championship series tips off, the offseason looms large for the rest of the league, featuring a loaded free-agent market with marquee names like Napheesa Collier , Kelsey Plum , Jackie Young , and the Indiana Fever duo of Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham .

Mitchell, in particular, expects a massive market of suitors following an MVP-caliber season alongside Caitlin Clark, an explosive backcourt tandem that propelled the Fever to a league-record 96.0 points per game and an all-time high of 4,222 total points scored across the campaign.

Caitlin Clark Takes Active Leadership Role for the Fever Free Agency Pursuit

After suffering a second consecutive playoff exit at the hands of the Las Vegas Aces, the Indiana Fever enter a pivotal transition period with only six players under contract heading into the winter.

Recognizing the urgency to construct a true contender, Caitlin Clark addressed her role in pitch meetings and roster discussions during her end-of-season exit interview, expressing a firm commitment to help recruit high-level free agents and showcase the city of Indianapolis.

"I think this offseason will be a little bit different, and I'll be very involved in that," Clark emphasized. Re-signing Mitchell remains top priority for the front office, but should talks stall, targeting elite two-way talent like Napheesa Collier could be game-changing.

Pairing Collier with Aliyah Boston would instantly form a formidable interior defensive tandem to balance Indiana's high-powered attack.

Though injuries limited Collier to 18 games last season, her previous two campaigns yielded 2024 Defensive Player of the Year honors and back-to-back top-two MVP finishes while averaging 21.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game .

Having Clark directly engaged in the pitch process gives Indiana a compelling pitch to land game-changing talent capable of pushing the franchise past its recent postseason plateau.