The Indiana Fever are getting some depth in the frontcourt.
The Fever have signed forward Brianna Turner, according to the WNBA transactions page. Terms of the deal, including whether it is unprotected or protected money, is not yet reported. It is not listed as a training camp contract, meaning Turner signed with Indiana for more than the veteran minimum.
On the Fever, Turner will reunite with her former Phoenix teammates in Sophie Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner. She will also provide some much-needed depth in Indiana’s frontcourt, playing behind likely starters Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard.
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Turner, No. 11 pick in the 2019 WNBA draft out of Notre Dame, is a six-year league veteran. She played five years with the Phoenix Mercury, mostly in a starting role, and her most productive season came in 2021 − starting all 32 regular-season games, she averaged 7.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in the 2021 season. Turner continued to be a full-time starter for Phoenix in 2022 and ’23, but her scoring and rebounding numbers dropped slightly.
While Turner does not have any championships, she has ample playoff experience. The Mercury qualified for the playoffs in four of her five seasons, including a Finals trip in ’21, where they lost to the Sky.
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She was traded to the Chicago Sky ahead of the 2024 season, and her role decreased significantly with rookies Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese taking most of the minutes in the frontcourt. She only started two games, which came because of injuries to Cardoso and Reese, and appeared in 27, averaging 1.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Turner’s career averages over 186 games are 4.6 points and 6.3 rebounds.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever sign Brianna Turner, bolstering frontcourt depth
