Indiana Fever had a roller coaster season, literally. They saw five season-ending injuries, hardship players, and a lot of adjustments. But none could deny that it was a kind of season nobody expected them to have. Despite being considered underdogs, they went straight to the Semis Game 5 after tying 2–2 against the Las Vegas Aces. While Indy fell short in the semis, Sophie Cunningham’s words after the loss carried a message louder than the final buzzer. It wasn’t just about calls. It was about building something lasting in Indy.

Having missed out on the Finals, Sophie appeared on her podcast Show Me Something with West Wilson and shared a candid reflection. On whether Indy’s series had been better than the Finals, she said, “I was talking about this with a couple of people tonight, and it’s like a couple of calls going our way, we would have been in the Finals, which is insane to think about.” Indeed, Game 5 of the Semis did feature a few controversial foul calls.

But the spotlight remained on the “crazy” whistle that came with just 27 seconds left in regulation and sent Boston to the bench with her sixth foul. Indy, already reeling after Mitchell’s earlier injury, was then forced to finish without two of their best players. “You know what’s so crazy? I’ve been crab dribbling all year. I have not got an offensive foul in that manner the entire season,” Boston told Sue Bird and Candace Parker after the semis. The fallout immediately extended beyond the court. Within hours, social media flooded with examples of similar plays that hadn’t drawn whistles. But the damage was done, and Sophie knew it.

“I think that next year, I don’t even know what that looks like. Those conversations haven’t happened yet because the CBA is still kind of delayed,” Sophie admitted. “But I just feel like if Indiana were to bring back their core, it would be a huge deal.” Playing alongside legend Diana Taurasi, Sophie has picked up some valuable lessons along the way.

Now with Indy, she’s got a clear message for the front office to retain the core. The Fever currently has only three players under contract for 2026: Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Makayla Timpson. All other players on the roster have turned into unrestricted free agents this offseason. That leaves Indy with the problem of whom to choose. This season, the team played with 18 players as five point guards suffered season-ending injuries.

While players like Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham, and Mitchell have been their strength, Odyssey Sims and Aari McDonald helped the team sail through adversity. But Sophie knows the answer, and it’s to stick with the core. The decision makes sense, too, as Mitchell, Lexie, and Sophie bonded well throughout the season. Even teams like the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces have made themselves big using the same strategy.

For the Aces, ever since Becky Hammon joined, the team has thrived on their “Big Three”: Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and A’ja Wilson. Even in this season’s Finals, they accounted for 70 points and 67 points, more than half of the team’s total twice. Meanwhile, Liberty’s no different.

While the team fell in the semis, they’ve been one of the biggest threats, driven by Breanna Stewart, Nyara Sabally, and Sabrina Ionescu. So yes, it all makes a lot of sense. But the process to get the right squad won’t be easy, especially this offseason.

What’s next for Indy?

The 2025 regular season is over, and that brings the league closer to its lockout deadline of October 31. Until now, there’s been no progress in resolving the conflict between players and the league over the CBA. There has also been growing controversy around Cathy Engelbert after Napheesa Collier called the W’s leadership “the worst in the world.”  The lockout’s not a small deal. But if the new CBA comes into place, it would change a lot of things

Players are currently pushing for salaries around $250,000 and 9% revenue sharing. They want a transformational increase in both, similar to the NBA’s 49%–51% model. And if that happens, Indy’s fate would be affected too.

“I think we control the controllables… So really, just focus on what we can control, and as things roll out, we’ll be ready to go. That’s the biggest thing — plan as much as you can,” Fever general manager Amber Cox said today. As of now, Indy’s got a maximum salary cap of $1,552,300 for 2026, according to Spotrac. With a $251,266 active cap, they’ve got a cap space of $1,301,034 and a priority to ink a deal with Kelsey Mitchell. So, what do you think will happen?