Ever since the last Indiana game wrapped up, there’s been just one question on everyone’s mind. Will the team have a player who can suit up to win by Tuesday? Considering that the team could be down to as less as eight players in the upcoming matchup, they do have the option to make the most of one of the WNBA’s rules. The question, though, remains. Is it gonna be someone familiar with the system or someone absolutely new? White’s words have provided some answers amidst fans clamoring for Chennedy Carter.
Well, that question is really the need of the hour. Because at this point, it doesn’t matter if you started the season looking like a top-tier team. Chemistry was already a shaky subject, and now, sitting at 2-4 after losing everything that was actually working? First, it was their offensive engine, Caitlin Clark, who was sidelined with a quadriceps injury. While she’s expected to return by June 10th, losing 19 points per game has proven to be a big blow. The two straight losses speak for that.
And just as the Fever seemed to find their rhythm—with Sydney Colson stepping up and Sophie Cunningham thriving off the bench—Head Coach Stephanie White’s plan unraveled fast. Both guards went down in the same game: Colson with an upper leg injury after a collision with Jacy Sheldon, and Cunningham rolling her ankle late in the fourth. That makes three guards—Clark, Colson, and Cunningham—out in just two weeks.
So, of course, the team is now on a mission to find a talented guard to temporarily fill the gaping hole. “We’re down in numbers, but we’re looking at adding another player, a replacement player, to help us with our numbers,” shared Indiana Fever President Kelly Krauskopf.
Fever President Kelly Krauskopf says they’re looking at options to add another player on a hardship, especially as they only have two healthy guards right now.
Hoping to be able to sign that player ahead of Tuesday’s game. pic.twitter.com/E7geRT4eOJ
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 1, 2025
The move, whatever it’s going to be, needs to be made fast because while there’s a positive update on Colson and Cunningham, their return remains uncertain. “I think we got good news from both of their MRIs — as good of news as you can get,” said White. “And so right now, it’s a day-to-day thing. We’re looking forward to hopefully them returning sooner rather than later, but at the same time, it depends on how each of them progresses in rehab.”
That means it’s unlikely either will return in time for the upcoming game against the Mystics. And because of that, the Fever squad could go down to 6 forwards and just two guards: Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell. This shall make them eligible to make use of the “break glass in case of emergency” rule. Notably, teams with fewer than 10 available players can apply for an emergency hardship exception, giving them temporary permission to sign a replacement.
Fever President Kelly Krauskopf summed it up best: “You have an 11-player roster and you lose three players like that, you have to add a player to your roster. It’s something that you just deal with being in this league, with the roster sizes being a little bit smaller. That’s why you try to build for depth.”
But is the move actually going to translate? Well, both White and Krauskopf are just “hoping” so. As for who it is going to be as the team tries hard to make use of the $43,006 in salary cap space for the 2025 season? We don’t know, but a few options have been emerging.
So, who are the players the Indiana Fever’s got as options?
While it’s difficult to find players who meet the head coach’s requirements and still fit under the Indiana Fever’s salary cap, it’s not impossible. Especially when the HC Stephanie White has already outlined what she’s looking for: “Best player available at that position who can add value at both ends of the floor,” she shared during a recent press conference when asked about the kind of player the Fever need.
So, as soon as this news started making rounds, Fever fans too put on their recruiter hats, writing literally letters in the comment section. Many of the fan votes went to Chennedy Carter, and if not her, then Megan McConnell. Then, there were other mentions of Aari McDonald, Deja Kelly, Ariel Powers, and Sydney Affolter.
May 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White on the sideline against the Atlanta Dream in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
But, see, the Fever want someone who can contribute defensively while also helping the team “navigate and get into offense.” So, Aari McDonald makes the most sense if we have to consider the above list, but there is Grace Berger, too.
Berger was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She played with the Fever for two seasons but was waived in February after a minimal contribution last year. She later attended training camp with the Lynx but is currently a free agent. What the Fever once considered expendable might just prove to be valuable in tougher times, especially since Berger is a steady player with good size and familiarity with the key players on the roster.
Then there’s Aari McDonald, the surprise final-day cut by the Los Angeles Sparks. While she has struggled to create her own offense, she’s a true point guard and a strong perimeter defender. At first glance, she checks every box on Stephanie White’s list.
So, with (almost) everything in front of you now, who’s your pick?
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