Why the Indiana Fever offered Sophie Cunningham only a one-year contract in free agency originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Sophie Cunningham was hoping for more.
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The Indiana Fever guard spoke frankly this week on her podcast, “Show Me Something,” about the free agency process that led her back to Indianapolis. Some fans interpreted Cunningham’s comments as disappointment over the $665,000 salary that she was offered, but on Tuesday, she cleared the air at Fever training camp.
MORE: Fever’s Sophie Cunningham clears the air amid contract chatter
Cunningham explained that she was hoping to ink a multi-year contract with the Fever as she sought to “establish” herself long-term in Indiana. But unfortunately for her, Indiana’s reality under the WNBA’s new salary cap limited the Fever’s flexibility.
The Fever are in an unusual position: Indiana has two players who could be making supermax salaries in the next two years. Aliyah Boston just agreed to a four-year, $6.3 million extension with the franchise, while Caitlin Clark can sign a max extension in 2027.
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In addition, MVP finalist Kelsey Mitchell just signed a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract to play in Indiana this season.
It led to the Fever inking only two players — Monique Billings and Lexie Hull — to multi-year contracts in free agency, and both players signed on for less than $850,000 per season.
The lack of long-term security may have irked Cunningham at first, but she has made it clear that she loves playing in Indiana. And the Fever value her highly, meaning if there is a pathway to a contract extension beyond 2026, a deal could get done if the salary cap permits it.
“When you find a group of girls who really make you fall in love with basketball games and you enjoy it, you enjoy them, not only on the court, but off the court,” Cunningham told the media on Tuesday. “You want to hold on to that.”
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