There was a three-month delay to the WNBA expansion draft following the lengthy CBA discussions, but it took just 30 minutes for the new teams to select 11 players from the unprotected pool, as the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo took turns selecting players. The Indiana Fever side lost one player to each expansion team from the 2025 roster, as they will now look to build upon the remaining pieces.
During the off-season, Caitlin Clark was brutally honest about the Indiana Fever’s tough roster decisions and mentioned that there will be more exits than entries considering the massive size of the roster.
Now, after the expansion draft, GM Amber Cox reflected on losing two players with a social media post.
Indian Fever GM Reacts To Expansion Draft Selections
The Chicago Sky traded two of its 2026 WNBA Draft picks to the new teams, protecting their complete roster from the expansion draft. The Fever side didn’t show such urgency and lost two players, Chloe Bibby to the Portland Fire and Krystie Wallace to the Toronto Tempo, in the expansion draft.
“Wishing Chloe and Kristy the very best. Bibs will always be a part of the Fever family – hit some big shots in key moments for us last season! And what a fantastic human! Never got to work directly w/ Kristy but enjoyed our few interactions and thrilled to see her back in the W!” Cox posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Wishing Chloe and Kristy the very best. Bibs will always be a part of the Fever family – hit some big shots in key moments for us last season! And what a fantastic human! Never got to work directly w/ Kristy but enjoyed our few interactions and thrilled to see her back in the W!
— Amber Cox (@AmberLCox) April 3, 2026
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The Tempo team’s pick, Kristy Wallace, was still under contract with the Fever despite last playing for the team in 2024. She even played under Sandy Brondello and won a bronze medal in the 2024 Olympics with Team Australia.
Chloe Bibby, who joined Indiana as a mid-season recruit in 2025, provided a strong scoring punch with her elite three-point shooting and might get a starter role with the Portland side. As for the Indiana franchise, they will have one of the trickiest situations in hand after the 2026 expansion draft.
Indiana Fever With Unresolved Sophie Cunningham Situation After Expansion Draft
The Fever franchise will be happy to see its top-tier players still available in the market even after losing two rotational pieces from the 2025 season. Caitlin Calk will still be on a rookie-scale contract, and Aliyah Boston is eligible for the veteran max contract, entering her final year of the rookie contract.
Amid this, the franchise and the coach Stephane White prioritize Kelsey Mitchell, who would attract a supermax contract. Given the new CBA terms, all three core players would attract high values, leaving few options to play with for the Fever team. Another key contributor is Lexie Hull, who is a restricted free agent, allowing the side to match the offer for the player.
With that, the question of Sophie Cunningham’s future remains hanging. She is an enforcer on the team, averaging 10-15 points and possessing strong defensive capabilities. Fans wish to see the former Mercury star back in the Fever lineup, but Amber Cox and team would have to come up with a ‘financial’ solution to absorb her pay and stay within the salary cap.