“Maybe this season is just done for her(Caitlin Clark). Maybe it doesn’t make sense for her to come back into the mix if the Fever aren’t contenders. Are the Fever contenders at this point? I’m just not so sure. Do you risk another injury that can again compound and compound and turn into something else down the line?” When Rachel DeMita said this two weeks ago on one of her Courtside Club episodes, it sent the community into a panic.

Caitlin Clark has now missed 16 consecutive games this season, and there’s still no set timeline for her return. Coach Stephanie White did provide an update, saying she hopes to see Clark back on the court before the regular season ends. She also made it clear that she has expectations from Clark, adding, “I want to see her in practice, live in practice. Want to see her continue to work to not just build endurance, but to be able to handle contact 94 feet as it’s going to be in-game, and to be able to do that and sustain it from an endurance standpoint, and that’s going to take multiple practices to make sure that there’s no regression.”

No one knows exactly when Clark will return, but it raises a big question: should she be rushed back from injury? She’s already missed 25 games this season due to three separate injuries, and it’s hard not to wonder what would have happened if she had been rushed. Clark has clearly struggled with her shooting this season, connecting on just 27.9% from beyond the arc, a sign she hadn’t fully recovered. So why take the risk? The Fever don’t even look like a contender.

NBA legend Lisa Leslie weighed in: she urged the Fever to shut Clark down for the rest of the season, even the playoffs, to protect her long-term future. “I would not put Caitlin Clark back on the floor this season,” Leslie said, citing how easily groin injuries can be re-aggravated.

Fever insider Terrika Foster-Brasby echoed the concerns on “In Case You Missed It: “So, the Fever to me are the team that is the most vulnerable… she’s not only still nursing that groin injury, but was recently reported as having a mild bone bruise. I’ve had a bone bruise before … it took a while to heal. They say it won’t affect her timeline—but who knows?”

Even Terrika Foster-Brasby from the In Case You Missed It podcast weighed in on the situation. She said, “So, the Fever to me are the team that is the most vulnerable. They still don’t have Caitlin Clark. Unfortunately, she’s not only still nursing that groin injury, but was recently reported as having a mild bone bruise. I’ve had a bone bruise before and it wasn’t mild , it took a while to heal. So, they’re saying that it won’t necessarily affect her timeline, but who knows?” Yes, you read that right, CC did get injured while recovering.

Just last week, Fever insider Scott Agness confirmed that Caitlin Clark suffered a bone bruise at the end of a workout session. While sources say it isn’t serious and shouldn’t affect her return, it’s hard not to wonder if that can really be trusted — especially since everyone remembers how the Fever initially labeled Clark’s injury as “day-to-day.” And let’s not forget, Breanna Stewart needed one month and 13 games to return from a bone bruise just recently.

And while the jury is still out on how the Fever have handled these injuries, you can’t help but wonder if Clark should really be risked at this stage. Are the Fever even contenders anymore? Sitting 6th in the standings with a 20-19 record, they’ve managed just 3 wins in their last 9 games and don’t exactly look like a title threat. Teams like the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, and Atlanta Dream are looking far more likely to compete for the crown.

As Terrika highlights, teams like the Mystics and Sparks could pose a big challenge to the Fever. The Sparks have lost just 5 of their 11 games and are riding a strong resurgence since hiring Latricia Trammell. The Mystics, meanwhile, might sit 10th and have lost top scorer Brittney Sykes to the Storm, but their rookie duo of Citron and Iriafen, performing alongside Shakira Austin, could still surprise the Fever, Foster adds. The Fever also have matchups against the Mercury, Lynx, and Golden State, and how they perform in these three games could very well determine their playoff fate.

That said, Terrika and Rachel aren’t the only ones who think Caitlin Clark shouldn’t be risked this season, one WNBA legend agrees as well

Lisa Leslie doesn’t want Caitlin Clark to play again this season

It was July 15 when fans inside TD Garden witnessed the unthinkable…Caitlin Clark leaving the court in tears. Since then, she hasn’t suited up for the Fever. With the playoffs looming and no clear timeline for her return, Lisa Leslie believes Clark shouldn’t be rushed back to play this season.

“She could provide an amazing boost, but again, I’m just gonna put my coach’s hat on, my GM hat on. You want to see Caitlin Clark for the longevity of her career,” Leslie said. “I’m just thinking, me personally, I would not put Caitlin Clark back on the floor this season.”

With the Fever’s playoff hopes still hanging by a thread, it will be interesting to see whether Clark makes a return before the regular season ends, as the coach hopes, or if the organization heeds voices like Lisa Leslie’s and prioritizes her long-term recovery. Stay tuned to find out.