Indiana's offseason to-do list has a name at the very top. And it isn't Caitlin Clark. Some context before we get to that. Indiana came into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed with the highest-scoring offense in league history. Lost Game 1 in Vegas, 102-85. Forced a decider with a 99-89 home win in Game 2. Then fell 94-83 in Game 3, with A'ja Wilson scoring 36. So it's the Aces ending Indiana's season for a second straight year. Okay. You're on the Indiana Fever Daily Podcast, and we're officially in offseason mode. Who stays, who gets paid, and why Sophie Cunningham's name sits right next to Clark's on the busy-summer list. We'll start with the first decision Indiana actually has to get right: Kelsey Mitchell. Here's Jeremy Beren at Sporting News:
The Fever's first, second and third priorities this offseason will be to retain Kelsey Mitchell. Eyebrows were raised in the spring when Mitchell re-signed in Indiana on a one-year pact worth the $1.4 million supermax salary. That deal structure has allowed Mitchell to maintain flexibility over her future, and she has complete control over where she wants to play in 2027.
So that Game 3 loss in Vegas we covered last episode? It's an offseason question now. Can Indiana keep Kelsey Mitchell, and can they fix that defense? And Sporting News isn't subtle about it. Retaining Mitchell is the first, second AND third priority. I'd add a fourth. And she holds every card. One-year deal at the $1.4 million supermax, full control over where she plays in 2027. She's the WNBA's second-leading scorer, twenty-five a night. You don't backfill that with a mid-level signing. You don't backfill it at all. Look, I spent all week yelling about whistles, and fine, thirty-five free throws to twenty stung. But Fieldhouse Files has the Fever at 38.5% from the field. Hang around for three quarters, then Vegas pulls away in the second and fourth and it's fourteen at the horn. Take Mitchell's shot-making out of that and who's creating late-game possessions? Which is why I'd push back on the headline pairing a little. Clark and Sophie Cunningham face a busy offseason, sure. What worries me more is the roster behind them. Ty Harris out, Damiris Dantas coming off knee surgery. Cunningham's a decision, but guard and center depth is the whole shopping list. If you're enjoying the Indiana Fever Daily Podcast, please subscribe or leave us a review wherever you're listening. Reviews help other people find the show, and we really appreciate the support.
The Aces, the team that knocked Indiana out, open Round 2 Sunday against the Golden State–Dallas winner.
Links to every story are in the show notes, so check out whichever ones caught your attention. Thanks for listening, and we'll be here for the next episode. That's Indiana Fever Daily Podcast for today. This is a Lantern Podcast.