Fever All-Star Kelsey Mitchell 'excited' for WNBA free agency — that's if she hits market.
Kelsey Mitchell, a cornerstone of the Indiana Fever, is on the verge of entering a critical juncture in her WNBA career. Drafted second overall in 2018, Mitchell has dedicated her entire professional journey to the Fever, navigating through the highs and lows of a franchise that has seen more downs than ups in recent years. Now, as she nears the end of her contract, Mitchell is eager to explore free agency for the first time—a prospect that brings both excitement and uncertainty.
Mitchell's loyalty to the Fever is evident in her decision to sign a three-year extension in 2021, securing her place in Indiana until the end of the 2024 season. Over these years, she has witnessed the franchise undergo significant changes, including four different head coaches in seven seasons, the challenges of playing in the WNBA bubble in 2020, and enduring seasons with single-digit wins. Despite these hardships, Mitchell has remained a consistent and prolific scorer for the team, leading the Fever in points for the past five seasons. This season, she is averaging 17.7 points per game, just behind rising star Caitlin Clark’s 17.8.
With 3,651 career points, Mitchell is second only to the legendary Tamika Catchings in the Fever's all-time scoring records. Her contributions have earned her two WNBA All-Star selections, and she is widely regarded as one of the league's most reliable and steady scorers. As the Fever eye their first playoff berth since Mitchell joined, her value to the team has never been more apparent.
However, as the 2024 season draws to a close, the future remains uncertain for both Mitchell and the Fever. Fever general manager Lin Dunn has emphasized the importance of retaining Mitchell, acknowledging the difficulties she has faced during her tenure with the team. "Kelsey is a classic example of someone who's been here six or seven years and has never been in the playoffs, and that's tough," Dunn said. "She's had a tough, tough time since she's been here. Hopefully, these last two years have reassured her about the direction we're going."
While the Fever are keen to keep Mitchell, discussions about her future will likely take place after the season ends, making it improbable that she will sign an extension before then. Mitchell, for her part, is enthusiastic about the possibility of entering free agency. "Those conversations are going to have to be had, and I’m going to do what’s best for me," Mitchell said. "It’s always going to be a business, so I’m excited to explore free agency. I’ve never been a free agent in my professional career, so I’m excited to see where it goes."
Yet, the path to free agency may not be straightforward for Mitchell. The Fever have the option to "core" her, a mechanism similar to the NFL’s franchise tag. By coring Mitchell, the Fever would retain exclusive negotiating rights in exchange for offering her a short-term contract with a supermax salary of $241,984—an increase from her current $212,000 salary. The Fever could afford this raise under the current salary cap and may have even more financial flexibility with veteran guard Erica Wheeler's $202,154 contract coming off the books.
If cored, Mitchell could either negotiate a longer-term deal with the Fever or play under the one-year core contract. WNBA rules limit players to being cored for a maximum of three seasons, regardless of which team holds the designation. Should Mitchell agree to a longer contract while being cored, those years would count towards this limit.
Complicating matters further is the upcoming introduction of the Golden State Valkyries, a new WNBA expansion team set to begin play in 2025. With an expansion draft scheduled for December, before the typical coring period, the Valkyries might be allowed to select one unrestricted free agent and core them. This scenario mirrors the last WNBA expansion in 2008 when the Atlanta Dream joined the league. In that draft, each existing team could protect six players, while the Dream selected one player from each team, including unrestricted free agent Betty Lennox from the Seattle Storm. The expansion draft gave Atlanta exclusive negotiating rights, preventing the Storm from coring Lennox.
If the WNBA enacts similar rules for this upcoming draft, Mitchell could find herself headed to Golden State without having much say in the matter. The Fever would have no opportunity to core her if the Valkyries select her first, potentially leaving her with limited options.
Should the Fever decide not to core Mitchell, and if the Valkyries choose to pass on her, she would then become a true free agent, free to entertain offers from any team, including the Fever. As one of the top free agents of the 2025 WNBA class, Mitchell would likely attract interest from multiple teams, especially given her back-to-back All-Star appearances.
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