“Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn’t play.” That was the bold claim made by ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck a month ago. But for fans eagerly awaiting her return, the wait continues. Unfortunately for the fans, Clark has still not been playing till now. She remains sidelined, still battling to recover as the tightly-packed 2025 schedule wears her down. And she’s not the only one facing this uphill battle.

This season has turned into one of the most injury-riddled in recent memory. Big names like Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Alyssa Thomas, and Brittney Griner have all found themselves on the injury report. Now, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has joined the growing list. However, one industry insider believes Collier can avoid the same misstep the Indiana Fever made in handling Clark’s recovery timeline.

In the latest episode of the We Need to Talk podcast, hosts Alicia Jay and Ashley Nicole Moss weighed in on Napheesa Collier’s injury situation. Their advice to the Minnesota Lynx star was clear: take the time to fully heal. “We’ve seen with other players, I would say most notably probably Caitlin Clark in this season, coming back from an injury too early isn’t great either. So, it’s really important that Phee [Napheesa Collier] rest and recover as much as she can so she’s ready for the playoffs and that championship push,” Jay said.

With this, the podcast didn’t just offer advice; it subtly pointed fingers at the Indiana Fever’s mismanagement of Clark’s injury timeline. Clark first went down on May 26 with a strained left quadriceps. She returned on June 14 with a dazzling 32-point performance. However, she was sidelined again just 12 days later, on June 26, this time with a groin injury. Though she returned to the court on July 9, her comeback was short-lived. She suffered another injury and exited the lineup.

Clark has now missed more games in her sophomore season than she has played. Even the Fever’s head coach has since acknowledged they may have rushed her return. A mistake the podcast hosts hope Collier avoids at all costs.

Why is Caitlin Clark missing out on multiple games?

After returning on July 9, Caitlin Clark played four games for the Fever before heading back to the bench. But even during those games, she wasn’t fully herself. She made just 6 of 26 attempts from beyond the arc, a clear sign of struggle. And according to ESPN’s Holly Rowe, head coach Stephanie White may have played a part. “Stephanie White did tell us that they will be even more cautious in their approach to her return to play this time,” Rowe revealed.

She added that Clark “didn’t receive adequate practice or ramp time” when returning from her previous groin injury. This served as a clear fumble on the Fever’s part. Clark herself acknowledged not feeling 100 percent at the All-Star weekend. “This is the first time I haven’t felt like a young body that can run around and sprint every day and just continue to do that,” she said.

Clark’s stats this season support the concerns. In 13 games, she has averaged only 5.5 made field goals on 15.1 attempts. From the three-point line, she’s gone 2.2 for 8.0. These are a step down from her rookie year, when she secured the ROTY title with 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game. The Minnesota Lynx should be taking notes. Napheesa Collier has been on fire, winning Western Conference Player of the Month honors from May through July.

But now she’s out for two weeks, and her return needs to be perfect. Collier will be central to the Lynx’s playoff run, but only if she returns fully healthy. The last thing the Lynx need is a repeat of Clark’s situation.