The Indiana Fever finally have the core teams spend years chasing. Now the league’s own financial system might decide how long it lasts. A new WNBA collective bargaining agreement proposal, which includes a projected $5.65 million salary cap, could leave Indiana with roughly $3.4 million to complete the roster if the team re-signs Kelsey Mitchell to a supermax deal alongside Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, according to analyst Robin Lundberg’s breakdown.

Because of that math, the Fever’s biggest offseason decision is no longer just about talent. It is about survival under the cap. Clark and Boston remain on rookie deals, giving Indiana one of the league’s most valuable cost advantages. That flexibility disappears quickly once Mitchell enters negotiations.

“If the Fever only has one max player on their roster… if you give out even the one max salary to Kelsey Mitchell, that’s 20% of the cap.” After accounting for Clark and Boston’s contracts, Lundberg explained the remaining budget drops below the projected average salary for the rest of the roster. “I mean, if that is the case immediately, Lexie Hull’s a restricted free agent… she’s clearly worth more than an average salary. Sophie Cunningham… is going to be looking for more than an average salary.”

As a result, Indiana could face a situation where keeping its core forces sacrifices elsewhere in the rotation.

The CBA negotiation now controls the timeline

The Fever have already made retention a priority. Head coach Stephanie White previously emphasized keeping Mitchell and as many returning players as possible. However, the outcome depends heavily on the ongoing league negotiations. Players have pushed for a significantly higher cap, reportedly near the $9–10 million range, while the league’s latest framework sits at $5.65 million.

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For that reason, Indiana’s roster building remains paused. The franchise cannot fully plan free agency until the financial rules exist.

Indiana’s dilemma reflects a broader league trend. Teams built around rookie-scale stars historically face a compression point once extensions begin. In the NBA, similar windows forced contenders to break up depth after max deals kicked in. The WNBA’s smaller roster sizes amplify that pressure even further because one contract removes a larger percentage of flexibility.

Because of that structure, the Fever are simply the first contender reaching the new financial reality created by rising player salaries. Negotiations between the WNBA and players association remain ongoing with a March deadline looming. The final cap number will determine whether Indiana can realistically keep Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham together.

If the cap rises significantly, continuity becomes possible. If it does not, the Fever may enter the season built around stars but short on depth. And that difference could decide whether the Clark era begins with a contender or a roster constantly reshaped by math.