The Indiana Fever made some big moves last year heading into Caitlin Clark’s second WNBA season. There were a number of significant changes on the roster, with perhaps none more impactful than the trade for Sophie Cunningham.
The Fever gave up NaLyssa Smith, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick in a four-team trade that saw Cunningham take her talents to Indiana.
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The move paid dividends for the Fever. Cunningham averaged 8.6 points on 46.9% shooting, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 triples per game. She also established herself as a vocal leader on the squad, while also stepping up as the Fever’s enforcer on the court.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half of a WNBA game.© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
(© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
There is currently a lot of uncertainty surrounding Cunningham’s future with the Fever, though. Her contract has expired, making her an unrestricted free agent heading into the 2026 season.
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Cunningham and the Fever got some important news on Sunday night. This comes in the form of a big WNBA free agency update from renowned ESPN reporter Alexa Philippou.
According to Philippou, the WNBA free agency dates have been set. The negotiation period between teams and players will be from Wednesday to Friday. Moreover, players can officially sign new contracts on Saturday.
This means that the Fever can officially enter negotiations with Cunningham on Wednesday. Both parties have already expressed their desire to reach a deal, but nothing will be official until Cunningham signs a new contract on Saturday at the earliest.
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For context, Cunningham earned $100,000 with the Fever last season. She will be looking to earn more in 2026 and beyond now that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is in place.
Apart from Cunningham, the Fever will also need to negotiate new deals with their other free agents. This includes key players such as Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull, to name a couple.
Related: Caitlin Clark Makes Her Opinion of UCLA Coach Cori Close Very Clear
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
