Indiana is officially adding a sharpshooter to its ranks.
The Fever were part of a four-team trade that was officially announced Sunday, spanning coast to coast with the Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings, Indiana and Phoenix Mercury all involved. According to WBB Timeline, it is the largest trade in WNBA history.
The Fever will acquire Sophie Cunningham and the No. 19 pick from Phoenix and Jaelyn Brown from the Dallas Wings. The Fever and Wings will also have a 2027 third-round pick swap.
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Cunningham, a 6-1 guard, is a versatile wing who can defend multiple positions. She has spent her entire six-year professional career with Phoenix so far as a part-time starter, starting 21 of Phoenix’s 40 games in 2024. Last season, she averaged 8.4 points on 37.8% 3-point shooting with 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
“Sophie is a player that we have targeted for a while, and one that we believe is a perfect fit for the style we want to play,” Fever general manager Amber Cox said in a release. “She is a fierce competitor, works incredibly hard on both ends of the floor and is one of the best shooters in our league. We are excited to add her to our squad.”
Brown, who Indiana acquired from Dallas, joined the Wings on a training camp contract in 2024 and earned a spot on the team. She was limited to 14 games in 2024, though, with a nasal fracture and illness. Brown averaged 2.6 point and 1.5 rebounds over an average of 10 minutes per game last season, with one start.
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The Fever sent NaLyssa Smith, who has been with the Fever since she was drafted No. 2 overall in 2022, back to her home state of Texas, and sent the 2025 No. 8 pick to Connecticut. Smith, who saw her role decrease in 2024, averaged 13 points and eight rebounds over her three-year career with Indiana.
“On behalf of the Fever, I’d also like to thank NaLyssa for her contributions over the last three seasons and wish her the best of luck in her next chapter,” Cox said.
Overall, the trade included multiple cored players. Alyssa Thomas, who was cored by Connecticut, and Satou Sabally, who was cored by Dallas, both went to Phoenix. The Mercury also received Kalani Brown and Sevgi Uzun from Dallas. Connecticut sent DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris to Dallas, and the Sun received Jacy Sheldon from the Wings and Rebecca Allen from the Mercury.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever land Sophie Cunningham, Jaelyn Brown in 4-team trade
