ESPN Outlines Potential Indiana Fever Signings After Key Injuries
The Indiana Fever’s push for a championship has taken another setback after Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson suffered season-ending injuries during the August 7 game against the Phoenix Mercury.
Colson tore her ACL in the first quarter, while McDonald fractured a bone in her right foot in the fourth. With Caitlin Clark also sidelined, the Fever’s active roster has been reduced to nine players. On August 8, ESPN identified possible replacement options for the team.
One candidate is Grace Berger, Indiana’s No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Berger is currently with the Dallas Wings on her third seven-day contract and must either be signed for the remainder of the season or released — a scenario that could benefit the Fever.
Clark has been out since July 15 after aggravating a groin injury. Under league rules, the Fever cannot sign a player to a hardship contract until they play a game with only nine active players, making August 12 the earliest possible date to add reinforcements.
In the meantime, Indiana must adapt. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou suggested that guards Kelsey Mitchell, Sophie Cunningham, and Lexie Hull will have to shoulder an even greater workload. She noted that the Fever could shift Hull into the starting lineup alongside Mitchell, Cunningham, Natasha Howard, and Aliyah Boston, with Mitchell and Cunningham sharing ball-handling duties.
While Clark’s return date is uncertain, the Fever’s upcoming schedule offers some relief. They host three consecutive games against lower-ranked opponents — the also injury-hit Chicago Sky (August 9), Dallas Wings (August 13), and Washington Mystics (August 16) — before visiting Connecticut, currently at the bottom of the standings, on August 18.
Despite the roster challenges, Indiana remains in postseason contention. This season, the Fever hold an 8-8 record on the road and are 9-7 at home. Last year, they went 12-8 at home and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Mitchell leads the team with an average of 19.7 points per game. Boston (15.1) and Howard (11.6) are the only other Fever players averaging double digits in scoring without Clark in the lineup.
Indiana’s next test comes against the injury-depleted Sky at home on August 9, tipping off at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
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