“She’s the offensive engine of Indiana. You can see how she elevates not just the Fever but the entire league.” As a player who broke records in her rookie season and jolted the foundations of the league, Caitlin Clark needs no introduction. No wonder even Lisa Leslie could not help but root for the athlete and her immense contributions towards the Indiana Fever and the WNBA. But given the current locker room conditions, neither HC Stephanie White nor fans can wait but hope for Clark to make a comeback.

While the Indiana Fever came across as a formidable team this season, Clark’s left quad sprain spilled the perfect blueprint. But the roster showed resilience and rallied forward, and clinched some of the most impressive victories of the season without their offensive engine. The team overcame their defensive setbacks and defeated the Minnesota Lynx in the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup finals. And this marked a turning point for the roster. But while an injury-ridden season forced efficient Fever players on the bench, Sophie Cunningham’s knee-injury came across as the last nail in the coffin. At least this is what the podcast hosts believe.

On the latest episode of The Women’s Hoops Show podcast, co-hosts Autumn Janson and Jordin Robinson discussed the fate of the Indiana Fever. “This team has seen a lot of adversity and to see them stay afloat the way they have has been very…you have to commend them for that. You can put this team on the back of Kelsey Mitchell. She’s going to take them the rest of the way,” Autumn started. “But for me, if you are at that seven and eighth spot, is it worth bringing Caitlin Clark back at this point of the season? We saw she came back a little too early. She hurt herself. I would want to see, you know, just more Caitlin Clark.”

Reminiscing about how Fever hastily reintegrated Clark  back to the roster earlier this season, the podcaster and analyst questioned whether it was wise to bring Clark back this season. After suffering three major muscle and tissue related-injuries, Autumn hinted that the point guard should rest out the season instead. Moreover, as WNBA Player of the Week and a top scorer for the franchise, Fever veteran Kelsey Mitchell has beautifully handled the team in Caitlin Clark’s absence. And that she will continue to single-handedly propel the team into the finals.

“Obviously, everyone would, but that’s protecting your player,” Autumn added. “That’s making sure she is healthy 110% so she can have a long successful career and obviously play next season. So, I just want to know at what point do we say, ‘All right, do we just pull the plug from this and we just keep rolling? Do we keep Caitlin Clark nice and healthy and bring her back next season?’”

Indirectly requesting the Indiana Fever, the analyst mentioned that the team should focus on player’s health instead of worrying about bringing her back to the games. She advised the franchise to ensure Caitlin Clark completely recovers and is healthy enough to feature next season instead. But before she could complete her chain of thought, Robinson jumped in and requested, “Fever fans, don’t don’t boycott us for saying that.”

While said in jest, Robinson and Autumn strongly believed that the point guard returning at this stage can pose a risk to the locker room instead of adding backcourt depth. “I want her to be as healthy as possible and don’t want to see another situation where she comes back knowing how competitive she is, knowing how she wants to play for her team, step up for her team,” Robinson said. “I would hate to see a situation where she comes back and then she gets hurt again.” As teams focus on clinching secure spots in the playoffs, the Fever cannot risk integrating Clark and then watching her deteriorate again.

With tight-packed schedules ruining the players’ health, the point guard’s return can put the team at a high risk. And though Clark would practice with her teammates during the long week off, the Indiana Fever stands at a crucial stage in the games where they need to focus on winning. With three games against the Minnesota Lynx, one against the Golden State Valkyries, Seattle Storm, and Phoenix Mercury each, the franchise needs to grab back-to-back wins in order to carve a seat in the playoffs. And it’s not just the Indiana Fever who are anxiously waiting to get into the playoffs.

The Seattle Storm Set to Change the Playoffs Scenario for the Dallas Wings

As the 8th ranked team in the league’s overall standings so far, the Seattle Storm stands on the threshold of the playoffs contention. With a balanced record of 18-18, the Storm can go either ways, provided other teams outrun the franchise in the upcoming games. And this playoff scenario is advantageous for a lower ranked team like the Dallas Wings.

The Storm recently overcame their 6-game losing streak by clinching an impressive 80-78 score against the Atlanta Dream. But the team’s inconsistencies this season pushed it way below the desired rank this season. Now set to face Paige Bueckers & Co. on Friday, August 22, this game can change the playoffs scenario for the Storm and especially for the Wings.

After all, as the 11th ranked team in the league, the Wings need to desperately win against the Storm. Not only will this add another victory in their belt, but will also help them secure a seat in the playoffs. While the gamble against a higher ranked team in huge for the Wings, they have another bet to rely on.

To get a comfortable seat in the top 8, the Wings also need to ensure that the Golden State Valkyries lose the upcoming game. Even if the Wings lose to Storm, the impact of the game is nothing when compared to the upcoming Valkyries vs Phoenix Mercury. In case Valkyries and Dallas win, the latter has higher chances of securing a position in the playoffs.