Sophie Cunningham’s re-signing might mark the return of Tres Leches at Indiana Fever, but on an individual note, it didn’t lead to rainbows and sunshine for the 6’1 guard. The return does give Cunningham a chance to play with her band: Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull. But beyond that, there’s also a bit of grievance on her part towards the franchise, stemming from her new contractual agreement with the Fever.

Speaking at her Show Me Something podcast, the Fever guard admitted that she isn’t explicitly content with her one-year $665,000 contract at Indiana Fever, but emphasized that her focus is on winning rather than the business end of things.

“Nope, it’s okay, it’s fine, ” Cunningham said. “It’s tough because I came off an injury, like I haven’t been in front of any teams. I had a lot going on in the offseason. And I was fully cleared, they had all the doctors, they had all the numbers, and everything, but if you don’t get in front of these people like, “Hey, are you actually good?”

“I’m not even gonna lie, it’s a little bit frustrating because I am like somebody I got to shoot it straight if I’m not feeling good or hesitant. I am at a point in my career where I want to win, so I’m not going to let my ego get in the way of everything. I know there’s a business side of things but I just want to win. It was a little weird, but this is a great wake-up call to not get comfortable. It lit a fire under my a** a bit more,” the Fever guard added further.

At this point, it wouldn’t even be an understatement to say that the Fever might have bagged a steal with Cunningham in this free agency. She might have suffered a disastrous MCL tear last season in August, which might have caused a stir in the Fever front office. But aside from the 2025 season, Cunningham has been quite durable throughout her career, playing in nearly 182 games across her six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury.

Moreover, re-signing a guard with 7 years of WNBA experience for just $665,000 is a major win for the franchise. Of course, Cunningham’s minimal salary, despite a new CBA that saw most players convincingly bid for that $1M mark, and the one-year tenure of the contract, reflect the Fever’s efforts to strike a balance in their salary cap.

With Kelsey Mitchell signing a supermax and Aliyah Boston getting a substantial spike in salary courtesy (now amounting to $1M) of the new EPIC provision of the CBA, it’s quite certain that the Indiana Fever would look to make adjustments in its allocation of the remaining salaries. And it ought to be frustrating for a player like Cunningham, given her last season with the team when she stepped up quite perfectly off the bench, recording 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds.

The $665,000 is quite a six-fold increase from the $100,000 she got last season. But analysts also believe that Cunningham would have gotten a much higher salary. “Getting Cunningham on a one-year, $665,000 protected deal, I thought she’d fetch more than that in free agency myself,” Fever insider Tony East said.

Additionally, the contract’s provisions go against Cunningham’s personal aspirations. Long before free agency, Cunningham had clearly stated that she wanted a lucrative, bigger contract from her next team. As reality set in, it didn’t happen as both the 1-year tenure and $665,000 salary go against these aspirations. As a result, her frustration with her new contract is quite justified.

But as Cunningham said, it gives her a new challenge to look forward to going into the season. There’s another important perspective to note here. With Cunningham’s one-year contract, it’s a given that she will become an unrestricted free agent next season. Furthermore, with Caitlin Clark’s salary set to spike due to the EPIC provision next season, the team might also be forced to cut someone like Cunningham.

It means she will need to step out of her comfort zone to keep the other franchises on their knees in the next free agency, so she can sign with an impressive campaign next season, which could also lead to a lucrative deal she has been targeting even before this season’s free agency. But that’s a tale for another day, as she has clearly stated that she is focused on winning with the Fever in the 2026 season.

Sophie Cunningham has already made her first stride in this regard at the Fever training camp with her teammates. And amid it, she has made a major revelation on how her physical frame is looking ahead of the season tipoff.

High-Stakes 2026 Season with Indiana Fever Gets a Positive Nod from Sophie Cunningham

Due to her disastrous injury last season, Cunningham’s fitness will be one of the hottest topics ahead of a crucial 2026 season. Although she has received the green light from the medical team, the Fever guard herself has shared a positive update during the team’s training camp.

“I think there’s a difference between training and playing pickup and doing all that stuff,” she said. “But when you actually have to go play, and it has to be intentional movements, it’s different. But, I’m 29, and truly, I feel better than I ever have.”

Cunningham’s admission is kind of a silver lining for her and the franchise going into the season. It’s important to note here that the Fever might have an abundance of guards for the 2026 season, including starters like Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark. But there are very few, like Cunningham, who can unleash precise shooting and offensive play from the bench (46.9% from the field and 43.2% from beyond the arc for the Fever last season.

This isn’t to ignore others like Lexie Hull and rookie Raven Johnson, who are better defensively on the perimeter. Additionally, with her top-notch physicality, the Fever guard can also get into her business seamlessly in an important 2026, which will possibly determine her ceiling in the free agency next season.

Sophie Cunningham’s first appearance in a Fever jersey might be on Saturday during the pre-season game against the New York Liberty, followed by the Dallas Wings on April 30. Cunningham and the Indiana Fever will play their first official game of the season on May 9 against the Wings.

With little time left before these games, what are your expectations for Cunningham for the upcoming season? Do let us know in the comments.