“We are not here for the moment. We are here for the takeover,” read the Indiana Fever 2025 campaign, and they couldn’t have gotten a better fitting start. The audience response, the varied rotations, and the glaring 3-for-3 scorecard— check them all. But even then, or ironically, as a result, after the 76-81 win over the Atlanta Dream, Stephanie White was left with more problems than she would have liked.
The last of the preseason games meant a final chance to decide on the regular season roster for the Fever. So the head coach had made clear she would be trying out new lineups and rotations. As a result of it, Sophie Cunningham got her first start. But after 15 minutes of play, the first concern set in for Stephanie White. Chloe Peterson, the Indy Star Sports writer, reported that the star guard was seen walking off to the locker room 4 minutes into the third quarter.
“Cunningham leaves for the locker room at the break. She was walking pretty quickly on her own, but a noticeable limp on her right leg,” she posted on X.
Cunningham leaves for the locker room at the break. She was walking pretty quickly on her own, but a noticeable limp on her right leg.
Fever lead, 51-45, at the 6:11 mark of the third.
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) May 10, 2025
Sophie has been on a tear since she arrived in Indiana, solidifying her spot with 21 points in their preseason opener. Then, as a starter today, she put up 5 points, 2 rebounds, and an assist. Her role has had people commending the Fever’s depth. Rachel DeMita even questioned who’d be the first person off the bench when you have Cunningham playing like that alongside Sydney Colson, and now Lexie Hull. While the extent of the injury has still not been determined, anything serious would be a blow for the Fever on an offensive surge.
But Stephanie White isn’t sounding an alarm. “She keeps saying, ‘I’ll be fine.’ So I trust her,” the head coach said following the game. However, what adds the load to White’s concern is the nearing deadline to finalize their roster. The 15th of May is fast approaching, the Fever need to make multiple cuts, and the players are proving just too good to decide among.
The current squad stands at thirteen and regular season rosters allow twelve players but Indiana might only be able to field eleven. This is due to the hard salary cap limitations that teams across the league face. So as Stephanie has to make not one, but two cuts, her life is hard as it is. “It’s always hard, I mean this is the worst part of the job,” she had said after letting go of Bree Hall. But making it harder are the two players who relentlessly continue to try and earn a spot on the team — Makayla Timpson & Jaelyn Brown.
“She doesn’t try to force things, she allows the game to come to her. She plays with great pace as a young player and often times you’ll see young players playing too fast. She’s poised and ready when her name’s called,” said the head coach in the post-game presser when asked about the final roster spot. But just as she could end the praise for her draft pick, she was also reminded of Brown’s contribution.
“JB is dynamic. She’s athletic. She has a great ability to get downhill. She and Kelsey are really deadly in that mid-range. She’s a great rebounding guard. So it’s a tough job to have to compare those two,” White concluded.
The situation once again underscores the problems around roster building that teams seek to change through the new CBA. But what are the current league regulations that present these hurdles?
The problems of a 12-man roster
The WNBA’s salary cap, while designed to promote competitive balance, often presents a significant hurdle for teams aiming to field a full 12-player roster. Unlike many professional sports leagues, the WNBA’s cap is considerably lower, meaning teams only have a limited pool of money to distribute amongst their squad. This financial constraint forces GMs to make difficult choices, often stripping talents like Jaelyn and Makayla from an opportunity in the league.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) mandates a minimum of 11 players in the roster and allows for a maximum of 12. However, signing a 12th player can mean stretching the already tight salary cap even further. Often, the money allocated for a potential 12th player is instead used to offer more competitive salaries to the top 8-10 players, securing key talent and depth.By opting for an 11-player roster, teams gain more flexibility within the salary cap. This allows them to pay their star players closer to their market value and retain crucial contributors, rather than allocating a smaller sum to a 12th player who might not be essential to the team’s rotations.
However, a change might be on the horizon with the new bargaining agreement set to be signed by the end of the year. It is expected to not just bring better salaries for the players but also soften the current salary cap of the league. The players, however, demand a roster expansion as well. This would further allow teams to retain players for their development, regardless of their contribution.
So while we await the new CBA, White will have some dreadful decisions to make.
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