When the Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox appeared for the exit interview, she already knew what ‌the most pressing question from the media would be. The Fever have possessed arguably the best trio in the league for the last three years with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. However, they have neither held the best regular-season record, nor have they really positioned themselves to have a chance at the championship.

In her assessment, Cox told reporters that the Fever needed to address their frontcourt and put together some defensive pieces to win next season. But according to former college basketball player Rachel DeMita, the issue with the Fever runs deeper. 

“They never had an identity this entire season. And that was the thing that was most maddening to me because I’m like, you have three All-Star players, All-WNBA First Team players, and you can’t figure it out with this big three?” DeMita said on The Athletic’s No Offseason podcast. “There is no excuse for not‌ winning.”

Unlike some of the successful teams like the Golden State Valkyries and the Minnesota Lynx (best regular-season team), the Fever didn’t have an identity under Stephanie White. They had rotational issues throughout the season, and they consistently failed because of their defensive lapses. While the Fever were the best offensive team in the league, it was narrowed to Mitchell and Clark, which made them vulnerable against any playoff team.

DeMita echoed what she previously said was the best thing for the Fever to do. Last week, she proposed that the Fever should rebuild because they lacked a proper identity and a system. 

“If Stephanie White leaves, they’re going to have to rebuild because they don’t have an identity…If Kelsey Mitchell leaves, they’re going to have to rebuild,” DeMita said on her Courtside Club podcast on Oct. 7. “All of a sudden, the system that you were running for this season and last, which we never really truly figured out what the system was, that is going to change.”

DeMita has been critical of White’s strategy this season, especially during the first-round series. She criticized the Fever head coach for introducing a new lineup in the Game 1 loss to the Aces, and slammed White’s attitude after the loss, alluding to her comments that her team needed to be humbled. 

After another bust season, there is hope that the Fever will try to address their issues, starting with defense. But according to DeMita, they need to solve a more complex riddle before they decide to put different pieces together.

“The thing with the Indiana Fever is I need them to create an identity and the system that they want to play before they do anything,” DeMita further added during the interview. 

What should the Fever strategy be during the offseason?

DeMita is right in questioning the Fever’s lack of identity, as she is also right in suggesting that the Fever need to hand someone the team’s keys. The Aces have a similar Big 3 in Las Vegas. The trio of A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Mitchell and Jackie Young has been highly successful. However, it is beyond doubt that Wilson holds the key to the fort. 

The Fever’s first order of business should be making a decision about Mitchell. She is an unrestricted free agent. If the Fever intend to keep her, the Big 3 will take up a large part of the team’s total cap space. If not, they can use that money to sign crucial pieces with Clark and Boston at the center. 

However, leaving Mitchell also means that the Fever heavily compromise ‌their offense. This season, the Clark-Mitchell duo combined for 47 points per game, which was the highest scoring average in the league record book. The 30-year-old veteran has played nine seasons in Indiana, and she is still without a title. If the Fever bring her back, they also need to convince her that they have a real shot at the title. 

One of the biggest reasons that the Fever have failed in the playoffs in the Caitlin Clark era is because of the lack of experience. This is one area that DeMita seems to be missing, and perhaps being restless well ahead of time. 

The trio of Wilson, Young and Gray has 187 playoff games combined between them, and that is precisely what makes them successful. When Aces head coach Becky Hammon joined the team in 2022, the trio was already in place. Clark, Mitchell and Boston have only 31 playoff games between them. Expecting them to be successful this early might not be unrealistic, but pushing for a complete overhaul also seems rushed. 

The Fever should also address their frontcourt issue at four. They can also add some defensive pieces in the starting lineup. Being the best offensive team in the league doesn’t mean they are allowed to bleed out on the other side. It never ends well, as they have seen throughout the season.