The three-headed monster of the Indiana Fever has put on a show for the fans this WNBA season. Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell have been one of the most exciting trios to watch, with the playoffs right around the corner. They made the WNBA All-Star team together and are currently in the top 10 of the MVP race, with Clark sitting near the top of the list. So, with the 24-year-old having a good chance to win this year’s Most Valuable Player honors, there is a hidden reality the Fever may not like so much if Clark wins.

In an X post by Courtside Club, WNBA analyst Rachel A. DeMita highlighted the major dilemma the Indiana franchise could be forced into if its star guard ends up winning the MVP.

“So Aliyah Boston is on her EPIC contract, and again this is part of the new CBA, so Aliyah Boston unlocked this maximum contract deal – the supermax deal essentially during her 4th season because of how the new CBA rules are,” DeMita said. “Now, Caitlin Clark will also be eligible for a max contract next season. Because of this provision, she will be eligible for a supermax contract if she wins MVP this season. Kelsey Mitchell is also on a max contract deal. So with that math and what we’ve kind of all been talking about for the season, why I have been saying for the Fever, it’s championship or bust, because you have three supermax-eligible players, or at least max-eligible players for the squad next year.”

“And I’m just not sure if they have the salary cap, if they have the space to be able to do that for Kelsey, Caitlin, and Aliyah Boston. But after how they’ve performed this season, you’d probably want to keep those three together, specifically Caitlin and Kelsey because they have proven to be the best backcourt, maybe ever, in the WNBA. And so it’s just one of those things – things are gonna start getting really interesting because of this new CBA,” she added.

Boston, ahead of this season, signed a contract extension agreement to remain with the Fever through 2029. Under the EPIC (Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract) provision, she was able to earn a max-level contract before the end of her rookie-scale deal. Boston inked a four-year, $6.3 million deal, with her salary increasing significantly under the new CBA. Kelsey Mitchell also inked a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract, keeping another major piece of Indiana’s core in place.

Meanwhile, when Caitlin Clark was drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2024, she signed a four-year deal with the franchise that runs through the 2027 season. Under the new CBA, however, the game has changed a bit.

The new agreement introduced the EPIC provision, which gives players on rookie deals a faster path to maximum-level contracts. Players who earn All-WNBA honors can become eligible for a max deal, while winning the MVP can open the door to a supermax contract. Clark already has a path to a max deal because of her 2024 All-WNBA selection, but an MVP award would elevate her eligibility to the supermax level.

“If Caitlin Clark does win MVP, thanks to the new CBA it will trigger an option to renegotiate out of the final year of her rookie deal, and she’ll be able to command a new 3 year super max contract. The Fever may have to pass the collection plate to keep their Big 3,” ex-ESPN host Cindy Brunson wrote on X.

So with Clark widely considered the face of the WNBA and the Indiana Fever, Aliyah Boston’s contract keeping her with the Fever through 2029, and Kelsey Mitchell leading the team with 25 points per game – the Fever won’t want to lose any of them. After all, their chemistry has made Indiana one of the strongest teams in the league, with the Fever heading into the playoffs with a 26-14 record.

How Indiana will deal with this dilemma is a huge question for now. But Caitlin Clark has to win the MVP first.

The 24-year-old is only in second place according to ESPN’s WNBA Top 10 Players of the Season list. The Las Vegas Aces veteran A’ja Wilson still sits ahead of her in this race. Wilson leads the WNBA in scoring and blocks while also ranking third in rebounding, and even though her team isn’t at the top right now, she remains one of the best players in the league.

Then there is the sensational rookie Olivia Miles, who has kept the Minnesota Lynx at the top even when Napheesa Collier missed a big chunk of the season.

So, Indiana has things it will need to figure out soon. But for now, Caitlin Clark has to win the MVP race first, while the Fever look to secure the championship.