The Fever’s training camp battles came to an end on Tuesday when they cut Jaelyn Brown (not the Celtic!) to finalize their 11-player roster. She was tangled in a fight for the final spot against Makayla Timpson, who now moves on to the regular season. While making an opening day roster is a challenge in its own right, the Indiana Fever’s training camp was considered one of the toughest heading into the preseason. Timpson might have overcome that, but staying relevant in the WNBA is the real war, and well, Caitlin Clark might be here to help out a little.

The 2024 ROTY may earn the Stephen Curry comparisons for her 3s all she wants, but you know what makes her game Caitlin Clark-esque– playmaking. “I definitely got passes and tried to finish when I wasn’t expecting to get the ball,” Lexie Hull summed up last season. Now, CC may have poured her entire focus into strengthening, mid-rangers, unpredictable floaters, and off-ball movements this off-season, but rest assured, her passing game isn’t seeing any decline.

“That Caitlin Clark to Makayla Timpson connection,” the Indiana Fever gushed as they shared a practice session clip on X. You could see the rookie faking a screen, rolling towards the basket, and bam, Clark providing a smooth dime for a layup. To top it off, Makayla finished it off with her left hand. Fever has every reason to be excited about this connection. Makayla is an agile center who can match the pace they want to play at. And with Clark running the show, her centers know they will get rewarded.

We saw that dynamic last year.

The 23-year-old averaged 8.4 assists per game last season. Owing to the respect teams give her on the 3-point line, space opens up in the paint, making for some easy buckets for her bigs. In a game against the Connecticut Sun last year, Clark provided 8 assists to her center Aaliyah Boston, showing her ability to find he open teammates. But this isn’t just about Clark, this is about how Timpson is adapting to her team. CC would be the anchor for every hope the rookie ignites with her game. And analyst Rachel DeMita is already impressed.

Owing to Makayla’s ability to run the floor and her massive defensive upside, Rachel believes she will be playing a significant role down the stretch. “So it seems like they are excited about this rookie. I could actually see her eventually getting more playing time than Breanna Turner,” she started. While the prediction is bold considering Turner’s experience in the league, it is certainly not not out of line for a rookie who has continued to impress in preseason.

DeMita further explained her stance saying, “I think she’s going to work her way onto the floor, She performed really well [in the preseason], It seemed like she fit in really well in the Fever system and it also seems like she might get some solid minutes as the season goes on.“ 

Makayla played 10 minutes in the Fever’s preseason game against Brazil where she scored 9 points on 50% shooting while also registering a block and a steal. Her agility and quickness off the floor helps her stay ahead, but it is the outrageous 6’10” wingspan that make her an elite shot blocker. Coach White had great praise for the rookie. “She doesn’t try to force things. She allows things to come to her. She plays with great pace as a young player and oftentimes you’ll see young players play too fast.” 

However, replacing Turner would be no ordinary task. A 2-time All Defensive Team player, Brianna can protect the rim well and is also a great rebounder. In a way, she and Makayla have a similar player profile, but it is Turner’s experience in the league that gives her an edge. She has been in the league since 2019 and even has a trip to the Finals under her belt, which could be valuable during the Playoffs. Turner’s ability to play out of the pick-and-roll would also be appreciated in this Indiana system.

While Breanna remains above Timpson in the rotation for now, it is certainly a luxury Stephanie White would enjoy– a depth of dreams. But the one crack in their armor might just come from the position they believe is the strongest, as concerns around their point guard arise.

Do the Fever need another Guard?

Caitlin Clark is arguably the best point guard in the league. But a WNBA season is far from a cakewalk, evident to Clark last season when she dealt with fatigue issues. Although she has better conditioning and strength than last season, they will need to rest her. And with Sydney Colson’s preseason performances being underwhelming, it raises concerns over their depth in the position.

Rachel DeMita, however, believes the Fever have plenty of that and a versatile offense to make it through the season. “We saw for the most part when Caitlin’s not on the floor, Sophie seems to be that backup point guard, even though that’s not her true position. But she did play backup point guard in college,” she said. “And I think we’ll see people like Sophie playing backup point. We’ll see Sydney playing backup point. We’ll see Kelsey running the one at times. I’m not worried about it at all.”

Although Cunningham’s performances have assured those around the team that they have enough, Stephanie White has earned equal credit with her versatile offensive schemes where she utilizes her bigs to bring the ball up the floor. White had also spoken during the preseason about using center Aaliyah Boston as a hub in order to create scoring opportunities for the team.

With the mix of talent and experience evident in the squad, this is undoubtedly a team built for a championship. The only thing stopping the Fever will be themselves.