The Indiana Fever weren't true title contenders when this season began, but if you squinted at just the right angle, you could see a situation where if things went perfectly right and a little good luck came their way, the team could make a shocking Finals run.
But reality is never as beautiful as the imagination. The Fever have suffered injury after injury all year, decimating the team's guard room and leaving them without Caitlin Clark for much of the season.
So instead of making a Finals run, the Fever are now in danger of not even making the playoffs. The team sits at 19-18 on the year and is the No. 7 seed at the moment, with just a one-game lead over No. 9 seed Los Angeles. Looking ahead, five of the team's final seven games are against playoff teams or teams still in the playoff hunt, including a road meeting this Friday with the Sparks.
it's very possible Indiana misses the playoffs. So, what happens then?
Chalk it all up to the injury bug
One key this offseason: don't panic.
The moves Indiana made this season were mostly good ones. If healthy, this was a clear playoff team. It just didn't work out that way.
Caitlin Clark has played just 13 games this season. That right there is the biggest reason for the team's struggles. Per PBP Stats, the team has a +9.74 net rating with Clark on the floor, but that drops to +0.09 with her off the court. Basically, this is a really good team with Clark playing, and a really mediocre team when she doesn't play.
Assuming there are no long-term concerns about Clark's health, simply waiting around for her to be 100 percent next season is a win for Indiana. Clark has the skill set to be the best guard in the league one day, and many thought she was going to earn that title in 2025 before the injury issues.
Add guard depth this offseason
With that said, there are still things Indiana can do to better position itself if a Clark injury strikes again in the future.
The best non-Clark or Kelsey Mitchell guard on the team this year was Aari McDonald, who also happens to be injured. But McDonald wasn't on this roster when the year began. The team got lucky that the Sparks gave up on her.
Obviously, bringing McDonald back this offseason would be a smart move for this Fever front office, but you can't stop there. With basically every veteran in the league hitting free agency, adding a reliable third guard — especially one who is a better shooter than McDonald — would be my primary goal if I were Indiana's GM.
Find another wing, whether that be a starter or backup
Injuries weren't the only issue for Indiana this year. The failed addition of DeWanna Bonner was a big problem as well. Indiana was counting on the veteran to provide big scoring numbers for the team, but her Fever tenure lasted just nine games. She averaged a whopping 7.1 points per game.
Indiana needs to add a wing this offseason, someone who can score both on and off the ball. Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull are both free agents, though Hull is restricted, so it'd be a surprise not to see her back. And honestly, it'd be a surprise to see Cunningham go elsewhere at this point, too.
One place the Fever could look, if they want to go after a star? Phoenix, where both Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally are unrestricted free agents. Assuming the concept of coring remains in the new CBA, Phoenix could only guarantee exclusive negotiating rights with one of those players. Could Indiana make a big push for one? Thomas doesn't really make sense for this team, but the other two would be big additions.
Or you could go after wing depth instead. Kayla Thornton? Katie Lou Samuelson? Maybe hit the trade market for someone like Jordan Horston? There are options out there for the Fever.