As of January 2025, the Indiana Fever, a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), are navigating a critical period of team building during the 2025 free agency period. Free agency is always a pivotal time for franchises, particularly those like the Fever that are looking to improve their roster and return to championship contention. A key factor that impacts a team’s ability to make moves in free agency is its available cap space, which determines how much money the team can offer players to sign contracts.
In this article, we will explore the cap space situation of the Indiana Fever for the 2025 WNBA free agency, taking a deep dive into their current roster, salary cap constraints, and potential moves. We will also consider how the Fever might strategically approach free agency to improve their roster.
The WNBA Salary Cap System
Before analyzing the Fever’s cap space, it’s important to understand how the WNBA salary cap system works. In the 2024 season, the salary cap for each team was set at $1.4 million, and it has gradually risen over the years with the expectation that the league’s financial health will continue to improve. Teams must stay within this cap when assembling their rosters, which includes paying both the active players and those on injured reserve, if applicable.
The WNBA’s cap is structured as follows:
- Base salary: This is the money a player earns as a part of her contract.
- Roster size: Teams are allowed to have up to 12 players on their roster, but only 11 can count against the salary cap at any given time, unless there is a hardship exception or an injured player.
- Designated Player Status: Some players can earn higher salaries due to their experience and standing in the league (such as Supermax players), but this comes at the cost of reducing the available cap space for other players.
To calculate available cap space, teams need to account for the salaries of all players currently under contract for the upcoming season.
Indiana Fever’s Salary Cap Situation for 2025
The Fever enter the 2025 WNBA free agency with a mix of veterans and younger talent, and they are hoping to create the right blend of experience and youth as they rebuild their team. Indiana has undergone a rebuilding phase in recent years and is focused on player development, which means they will need to manage their cap space carefully while continuing to develop their talent pipeline.
Key Contracts and Obligations
As of January 2025, the Fever’s roster consists of players who are either under contract for the upcoming season or free agents. Based on the latest roster information, the team’s available cap space is affected by several key contract situations:
- Aliyah Boston – Boston, the first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, is one of the brightest young stars in the league. She signed her rookie contract in 2023, which is set at the league’s minimum salary for rookies in her first year but increases with each subsequent season. As a highly promising player, Boston is on track for a larger salary in 2025. Given her high potential, she is one of the most valuable players on the roster, and the Fever may prioritize extending her contract.
- Kelsey Mitchell – As one of the team’s best established scorers, Mitchell’s contract situation is important for the Fever’s cap flexibility. She has been a key player for the Fever in recent years, and her salary is likely in the mid-tier range compared to other players in the league. Depending on whether the Fever decide to retain Mitchell or potentially seek trades for additional assets, this will impact their cap space.
- NaLyssa Smith – Smith, drafted in 2022, is another young star on the Fever’s roster. As a promising forward with a lot of potential, Smith’s salary is likely still on a rookie contract or a relatively low-value second-year deal. This gives the Fever the flexibility to keep her on their roster while maintaining room under the cap to make other moves.
- Veteran Contracts – The Fever also have several veteran players whose contracts are likely higher than those of their younger counterparts. Players like Victoria Vivians or Emma Cannon, if on the roster in 2025, may earn higher salaries. The team will need to evaluate these contracts carefully to determine whether to keep these players or move them to free up cap space.
- Potential Free Agents – A significant portion of the team’s cap space in 2025 will also depend on which players the Fever are able to retain and which they let go. Key players like Emily Engstler and others who are set to hit free agency may impact the available cap space, especially if they demand larger contracts based on their performance or market value.
Cap Space Calculation for 2025
Given the information above, let’s break down the available cap space for the Indiana Fever in more detail:
1. Base Salaries of Current Players
The primary determinant of the available cap space is the total amount of money committed to players under contract. For example, assuming the contracts for Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith are at or near the league minimum for their respective years, their salaries might account for roughly $150,000-$200,000 combined. The remaining players’ salaries, such as Kelsey Mitchell and other key veterans, could bring the total commitments closer to $850,000-$1.1 million.
2. Cap Holds and Free Agents
The Fever also need to account for cap holds, which are a placeholder amount used to calculate a team’s cap space before free agents are signed. If a team has players who are hitting free agency, the team must reserve space for those players before making new signings. For instance, a player like Victoria Vivians may have a cap hold of $150,000 or more. Adding in multiple cap holds for players the team is uncertain about will decrease the available cap space.
3. Estimated Cap Space
Based on the commitments and projections for the players under contract, it is estimated that the Fever will have between $200,000 and $350,000 in cap space heading into 2025 free agency. However, this can fluctuate depending on final decisions regarding free agents, potential trades, or any restructuring of contracts that occur.
Strategies for Indiana Fever in Free Agency
Given their cap space, the Fever have several options available to them in terms of how to use their money in free agency:
1. Sign Key Veterans
With a relatively young roster, the Fever may choose to target veteran players who can help develop their younger stars while also contributing on the court. A veteran who has playoff experience or leadership qualities could be a strong addition, helping to stabilize the team and serve as a mentor to the likes of Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith.
2. Add Depth
In addition to pursuing a high-impact player, the Fever could use their cap space to improve their depth. This could include targeting reliable role players who could contribute off the bench, providing support in critical situations. For a team that is in a rebuilding phase, this approach might be a good way to balance the roster without overspending on a single player.
3. Re-sign Key Players
Another strategy is to re-sign their existing free agents, such as Victoria Vivians or Emily Engstler, to longer-term contracts. The cap space flexibility will play a role here, as the Fever may offer these players deals that balance future growth with present-day competitiveness.
4. Pursue High-Impact Stars
If the Fever feel that their roster is ready to make a push for the playoffs or even a championship, they might target marquee players who are available in free agency. However, this would require careful cap management, as pursuing a high-profile player could involve signing a maximum-salary contract, which might limit the team’s flexibility to make other additions.
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