Throughout this season, the Indiana Fever has faced an overwhelming number of injuries, leading them to heavily depend on players with hardship contracts. A prime example is Odyssey Sims, who was signed to a seven-day hardship contract after both Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson were injured in the same game. Sims has successfully established her presence on the team, but with Caitlin Clark’s potential return on the horizon, the Fever now confronts a challenging dilemma.
As Caitlin Clark intensifies her efforts to make a comeback, the Indiana Fever must release one of their three players on hardship contracts—Shey Peddy, Odyssey Sims, and Aerial Powers. If Clark returns, the rules of the league dictate that they can no longer keep all three hardship players. WNBA insider Tony East shed light on this complicated situation during an episode of the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast.
East elaborated, stating that once the team drops to three players sidelined for the season, they will be permitted only two hardship contracts. He suggested that with Cunningham out and Bibby returning, the Fever might prioritize keeping point guards in the lineup.
With the roster size capped at 12 players, the Fever currently has 9 healthy players. Thus, filling the roster with hardship contracts has been necessary. However, if Clark rejoins the team, the Fever must reassess their roster, necessitating the release of one hardship contract.
Continuing his analysis, East considered the implications of Clark’s comeback. The Fever would likely retain Clark and Mitchell and might choose to keep Sims as a safety measure due to their ongoing struggles with ball handling. However, they might opt for Powers, especially since their wing options are currently limited to Lexie Hull and Chloe Bibby.
This season has seen numerous injuries primarily affecting the point guard positions. With Clark, McDonald, and Colson all sidelined, Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham had to assume ball-handling responsibilities. Now, with Sims providing backup and Cunningham out for the remainder of the season, the Fever will need to decide whether to prioritize depth at the guard position or bolster their wing positions.
Aliyah Boston’s Impact in the Playoff Race
In their struggle to secure a playoff spot, the Indiana Fever faced the Los Angeles Sparks, a familiar yet challenging opponent. Despite being statistically superior, the Fever had previously lost to the Sparks three times. However, under playoff pressure, the Fever managed to clinch a narrow victory, winning 76-75.
While Kelsey Mitchell had an off day, Aliyah Boston and Odyssey Sims stepped up to lead the team. Sims contributed significantly with 21 points and important late-game performances. Simultaneously, Boston starred with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds while making a career-high of 6 steals, including a crucial one just before the game concluded.
This victory places the Fever three games ahead of the Sparks, requiring only two more wins to secure their playoff position. Their upcoming games against formidable teams like the Golden State Valkyries, Phoenix Mercury, and Minnesota Lynx present a challenge. The possibility of Caitlin Clark participating in the remaining regular-season games also remains uncertain, but for now, the Fever’s focus is on clinching a playoff berth.
