It’s time for the Indiana fever make some moves in free agency.
The time of the main actors, as Kelsey Mitchelltook place from January 11 to 20. Teams can begin negotiating with free agents from January 21-30 and can officially sign players starting February 1.
Insider: How Fever’s new training facility can attract key free agents
WNBA free agency: Key dates for which players can negotiate, sign.
Here are four things that Fever could prioritize during the 2025 free agency period:
Re-sign Kelsey Mitchell
This one is really obvious. Kelsey Mitchell has been a cornerstone of the franchise over the past seven years, going through the worst years in franchise history before finally see the playoffs for the first time in 2024.
She led the Fever in scoring in five of her seven years (finishing three total points behind Caitlin Clark last season) and is the type of veteran player who brings continuity to the locker room.
The Fever cut Mitchell, who is a one-year deal with a very max salary (around $249,000) in exchange for exclusive negotiating rights, but that’s not a definitive situation. Mitchell might still want to leave, forcing a sign-and-trade out of Indiana, so the Fever will have to convince her that it’s still the best place for her moving forward.
“Kelsey Mitchell is our top priority.” Will the WNBA All-Star re-sign with Fever?
A power upgrade
Satou Sabally, who announced she’s leaving Dallas although it is empty, it would perfectly fit Indiana’s needs at Tier 4.
At this point, the Wings’ core is making sure they get something in return for their star forward. Indiana will also have to work out a full trade package with Dallas for potentially just one year of Sabally. This deal would likely include NaLyssa Smith, Indiana’s current starter at the 4 – Smith had an off year in 2024 and publicly shared his frustrations with the franchise, so a fresh start could be good for her.
Sabally could also simply choose to go elsewhere – core players using a sign-and-trade to leave their current franchise can essentially choose where they want to go. Her sister, Nyara Sabally, and former Oregon teammate Sabrina Ionescu play with the defending champion New York Liberty. If the Liberty can find him cap space, they could make him a compelling offer to reunite with his sister and Ionescu.
If the Fever lose the Sabally sweepstakes, they could take a chance on another former wing: Natasha Howard.
Howard, the 2019 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and announced she will not return to the Wings. It would immediately reinforce the Fever’s defensive efforts. Howard is a former Fever player, who played for coach Stephanie White from 2014-15 before completing a sign-and-trade with the Minnesota Lynx.
A backup leader
Indiana didn’t have a backup point guard who functioned the same way as Caitlin Clark in 2024, and it changed Indiana’s offensive scheme a lot, sometimes in the middle of games.
Erica Wheeler, who was Indiana’s backup point guard last year, was more of a facilitator — she wasn’t a big scorer, and Indiana ran a more basic offensive scheme while she ran the point. While Clark was on the floor, Indiana played at a faster pace, with Clark dishing out flashy passes and scoring a lot herself.
In 2025, Indiana needs to find a backup point guard who functions more like its starter. Obviously, few players can replicate what Clark does, but finding someone who could facilitate that fast-paced offense would give Indiana more stability when Clark needs a break from the bench — and give Clark more opportunities to take these breaks without affecting the flow. of the game.
Defensive Philosophy
Indiana ranked second to last in defensive rating in both 2023 and 2024, so it’s time to rethink the defensive philosophy in Indianapolis.
This is also where Howard could be a perfect match for Fever. She has been a defensive powerhouse throughout her years in the WNBA and she could help change the philosophy of the Fever’s defensive system.
This could also be solved simply by new coach Stephanie White’s philosophy – she’s more of a defensive-minded coach than Christie Sides, and she could instill that in her current players. Connecticut had the league’s best defensive rating in 2024, allowing an average of 94.1 points per 100 possessions, and much of that came from coaching. If White could successfully bring that to Indianapolis, Indiana might not need to bring in specific defensive-minded players.
This article was originally published on the Indianapolis Star: WNBA Free Agency 2025: Who Should Indiana Fever Sign This Offseason?
