The Indiana Fever front office has been navigating a high-stakes 2026 offseason, balancing the retention of its core while adhering to a clear mandate to improve its defensive schemes and frontcourt depth.
Following a successful 2025 campaign that saw the franchise return to the playoffs, General Manager Amber Cox has utilized every tool available — from the expansion draft protection list to a supermax core designation. Here is the chronological breakdown of the Fever’s roster evolution for the 2026 season.
The expansion draft and core designations (April 3–6)
The offseason officially moved into high gear with the arrival of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, the league’s newest teams. The Fever were forced to navigate a difficult protection list, which ultimately cost them two rotation players.
- April 3: Expansion draft losses. The Fever lost guard Chloe Bibby to the Portland Fire and guard Kristy Wallace to the Toronto Tempo. While both were depth pieces, Bibby’s 39.1% shooting from deep was a notable loss for the team’s spacing.
- April 5: Restricted qualifying offer. The Fever extended a restricted qualifying offer to guard Lexie Hull, ensuring they retained matching rights on any external offers.
- April 6: Core designation. In a move focused on continuity, the Fever designated Kelsey Mitchell as their core player. This guaranteed Mitchell a one-year supermax offer and prevented her from hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
Free Agency surge (April 10–13)
With the core protected, the front office turned toward re-signing key veterans and adding championship experience to the bench.
- April 10: Kelsey Mitchell reached a one-year, $1.4 million supermax agreement to stay in Indianapolis. The deal marks the largest contract in franchise history.
- April 11: The Fever signed veteran forward Monique “Mo” Billings. Known for her rebounding and transition speed, Billings was brought in to provide a physical interior presence alongside Aliyah Boston.
- April 11: Restricted free agent Lexie Hull officially re-signed on a multi-year deal. Hull, a defensive standout and 2025 Unrivaled champion, remains the spirit of the Fever’s secondary unit.
- April 12: The Fever signed Noblesville native and Heritage Christian standout Tyasha “Ty” Harris. The veteran point guard returns to Indy to provide elite backcourt depth and a steady hand behind Caitlin Clark.
- April 12: Fan favorite Sophie Cunningham agreed to a one-year deal to return. Despite an injury-shortened 2025, Cunningham’s perimeter shooting remains a vital asset for the team’s offensive identity.
- April 13: The Fever signed WNBA champion Myisha Hines-Allen. The veteran forward joins the frontcourt rotation after a stint in Dallas, bringing much-needed postseason experience to the locker room.
The 2026 WNBA draft (April 13)
Closing out the primary transaction window, the Fever utilized three picks to secure young talent, headlined by a defensive standout from the reigning collegiate champions.
- Raven Johnson (Guard, South Carolina) (No. 10)
- Justine Pissott (Center, Vanderbilt) (No. 22)
- Jessica Timmons (Guard, Alabama) (No. 34)
Johnson, a jewel in the class, is expected to serve as the team’s primary perimeter defender, addressing the “defensive gap” that Amber Cox identified early in the offseason.
Notable departures and cuts
- Natasha Howard: The veteran forward hit unrestricted free agency and signed elsewhere, leaving a gap in the starting frontcourt that the team filled with Billings and Hines-Allen.
- Aari McDonald: Entered unrestricted free agency.
- Shey Peddy: Released during the late 2025 season and currently an unrestricted free agent.
- Sydney Colson: Entered free agency. Currently battling an injury from September 2025.
Contact multimedia reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. All transactions are accurate as of April 14, 2026.
For more WNBA Indiana Fever, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
