Indiana Fever faces challenge of keeping Caitlin Clark happy so she doesn't consider leaving
With Clark, Cunningham and Mitchell central to the conversation, Indiana’s next roster moves could shape its championship window
The Indiana Fever entered the playoffs as the No.6 seed with hopes of making a deeper run, but the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces ended those plans in three games.
Las Vegas closed the series with a 94-83 win in Game 3, holding Caitlin Clark to 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting. She added four assists, two steals and four blocks, but Indiana could not do enough to extend its season.
That defeat has shifted attention toward an offseason filled with contract questions and roster decisions.
Linda Cohn believes the Fever ’s biggest task is clear: improving the team around Clark rather than simply rewarding its core players financially.
“That doesn’t mean she should take less money,” Cohn said on The Linda Cohn Show. “It means Indiana has to do more than pay its stars. It still has to improve the roster around them.”
Clark’s future matters, but so does the roster
Clark remains under contract through 2027 after Indiana exercised its team option, but she is already eligible to negotiate an EPIC extension after earning All-WNBA honors within the first three years of her rookie deal.
Cohn said the structure of that eventual agreement could become one of the most important questions facing the franchise.
“Will Clark have an out if expectations are not met?” she asked. “Whether Clark does something similar, this is going to be an interesting basketball question.”
Clark ’s value to Indiana is obvious. She averaged 22.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists this season and remained one of the league’s biggest television draws.
Indiana also had all 44 regular-season games carried on national networks. But Cohn argued the Fever still need more around her defensively.
“Give Clark another perimeter defender,” she said. “Give Boston more frontcourt help.”
Multiple major decisions beyond Clark
The offseason won't revolve around Clark alone. Sophie Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent after returning on a one-year deal, while Kelsey Mitchell , Indiana’s leading scorer this season, is also headed toward free agency.
Cohn highlighted Cunningham ’s influence beyond traditional statistics.
“Amber Cox clearly values what she brings beyond the box score,” Cohn said. “Cox called Sophie a leader, a connector, and an important voice in the locker room. Well, that matters.”
She also pointed to head coach Stephanie White ’s emphasis on establishing a more consistent defensive identity.
White referenced the standard once set by Tamika Catchings , and Cohn said Indiana needs to find players capable of bringing that same edge.
The Fever already have their centerpiece in Clark and another foundational piece in Aaliyah Boston .
The next step is building a roster that gives them enough defensive resistance, depth and lineup flexibility to avoid another early postseason exit.
That may be the most important decision Indiana makes this offseason.
