Despite an injury-plagued season, the Indiana Fever closed out 2025 on a high note. But their biggest challenge is free agency. Yes, the Indiana appears to be among the most stable teams heading into the 2026 season, but Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull, and Kelsey Mitchell are all free agents now. With Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Makayla Timpson anchoring the roster, the core remains strong, but who among these will cut is still a calculated risk the front office needs to take.

The Fever can’t carry a 17-player roster into 2026. And if WNBA reporter Sabreena Merchant is right, Stephanie White’s toughest decision will come down to one pivotal roster spot. While talking on the No Offseason podcast, Merchant pointed out that the power forward position was a weakness for the Fever. “That power forward spot is always very interesting to me because you get later in the season, and Stephanie White didn’t trust Natasha Howard’s defense enough to keep her in the game,” said the WNBA reporter.

Interestingly, this power forward position was one of the few spots White stressed the most upon arrival. She brought in DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard to Indiana for this very position. However, the expectations did not match the results as Bonner made an early exit to Phoenix. Although Howard did stick around till the end of the season, her performance was nothing to sing praises about. She recorded her lowest scoring season since 2020, averaging 11.4 points with just 6.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocks.

As a coach, you do not want your power forward lagging, so White had to turn towards the other Fever players. As Merchant points out, this will be a pain point for Indiana. “They were throwing out Makayla Timpson, and it’s like, do you want to go a little bit smaller and play Sophie Cunningham at that spot? Do you want to get another attractive power forward on the free agent market? Nneka Ogwumike is a free agent. Is that somebody who’d want to do a one-year role in Indiana? Obviously not DeWanna Bonner, but there are other power forward free agents who could make their way to Indiana.”

While some might say that if Indiana is looking for a forward, why not go for one of the best in the business? Although not fully available in the market, Angel Reese has already given signs of a move. If she moved into the Fever, they would become a championship-caliber team with Reese in the paint and Clark beyond the arc. But Clark and Reese on the same team does sound like a blow to the WNBA’s rivalry plot.

The WNBA reporter, too, was quick to shoot down these speculations, “I don’t think Angel Reese is a fit here for those who are wondering. Like that’s not a trade that I’d be pursuing if I were the Indiana Fever,” she said. The reality is, Indiana does need one power forward to complete their roster. It is highly unlikely they’ll bet on Howard again. As of now, Clark and Boston are two confirmed starters for the 2026 Indiana team.

The front office will move mountains to bring back Kelsey Mitchell. Their second priority will be to bring back Lexie Hull. But the dilemma for Indiana and White lies in finding that last player for their roster. “I think upgrading that front court and how you figure out a way to both maximize Caitlin, but also lean into the way I think Stephanie White wants to play is just a really interesting challenge,” Merchant concludes.

They can bet on a small forward like Sophie Cunningham or bring in the likes of Nneka Ogwumike, Azura Stevens, or Alanna Smith, who are all great fits for Indiana. Stephanie White will look to find a power forward who strengthens the defense more than the offense. There are players like Mitchell, Boston, and Clark who’ll create baskets for Indiana out of thin air.

But on the defensive end, it was mostly Lexie Hull doing the dirty work for Indiana. Bringing a forward player for her to share this load will be one of the priorities of the Fever head coach. For that, Cunningham can be a great fit. However, the 29-year-old has some other plans for her future.

Sophie Cunningham details her offseason and retirement plans

Despite making a name for herself as the enforcer of the Indiana Fever and one-third of the Tres Leches, Cunningham is keeping her options open for next year. In her exit interview, she announced being open to relocating if a better offer arrives. But for now, she’s recovering from her MCL injury. And it is not going as smoothly as expected. In her Instagram story, Cunningham updated, “I just got done with rehab. Knee rehab, that is. I should clarify. It was one of those days that I could have kicked everyone in the face. I don’t know why it was so hard today.”

However, her hard time with recovery has not stopped her from making offseason plans. In her podcast Show Me Something, the Fever star listed out: “On the 27th, I’m going to be on Good Morning America, and I’ll be up in New York.” This opportunity for her comes thanks to Arby’s, her new endorsement partner. She’ll be busy promoting their new product while also talking about the WNBA. In the same podcast, Cunningham also laid out her plans after her playing career.

The 29-year-old wants to play for another eight to ten years. But after that, she wants to focus on coaching, marriage, family, broadcasting, and something in the entertainment space.

“I would love to coach, but I also think I want to get married and I want to have a family. The life of coaching is not so ideal for all that. So there’s that. I’d love to do a broadcast. I would love to be in the entertainment space. So, who knows? I would also love to be on a yacht, not doing anything. We have a lot of options. I don’t know yet. It’s kind of being where my two feet are right now.”

While Sophie Cunningham has a lot of options after her retirement, her on-court options are limited to recovery. But after that, she’ll become one of the most desirable free agents on the market. Will Stephanie White trust her and bring her back again? Only time will tell.