With the WNBA officially agreeing to a new CBA, teams can now turn their attention to free agency and start building rosters for a run at the 2026 title. For the Indiana Fever, that process is already taking shape, with Caitlin Clark recently sharing some early insight with fans.
Speaking during NBC and Peacock’s pregame coverage ahead of the Golden State Warriors-Denver Nuggets matchup on Sunday, Clark was asked about the Fever’s expectations for the upcoming season. She didn’t hesitate to set a high bar. Right off the bat, Clark made it clear that winning a championship remains the goal.
At the same time, she acknowledged how uncertain things are right now, with a large portion of the league entering free agency. According to her, the Fever currently has only a handful of players they are sure will be on the roster next season. One priority stands out above the rest, though, bringing back her backcourt partner, Kelsey Mitchell.
“I mean, we were trying to win it all last year, that’s certainly what we’re trying to do this year,” Clark said. “It’s a very unique situation, I think there’s over 100 players in the league that are free agents, so we really only know about 5 people or 3 people that are going to be on our team next year, but I feel like we have a great core. Our first priority is to sign Kelsey Mitchell back. Was first team all-WNBA last year. Kind of my running mate in the backboard, she makes it really easy for me.”
At the moment, Indiana has just three players under contract for 2026. Along with Clark, the group includes Aliyah Boston and Makayla Timpson. If the Fever is able to bring Mitchell back, they would already have a strong foundation in place.
From there, the focus would shift to filling out the roster with the right role players who can complement that core and help turn their championship ambitions into reality.
Caitlin Clark highlights impact of WNBA’s new CBA for women’s sports
After a long delay in negotiations, the WNBA has officially reached an agreement on a new CBA. The updated deal brings several major financial improvements for players across the league.
The new CBA introduces a salary cap starting at $7 million, boosting average salaries to reach around $600,000. While the minimum salary will rise above $300,000, supermax contracts will begin at $1.4 million.
For Caitlin Clark, the impact of this agreement goes far beyond basketball. She believes it represents a turning point not only for the WNBA but for women’s sports across the globe.
“I think it sets a precedent for all of women’s sports going forward, not just women’s basketball,” Clark said. “That we’re truly valued and the product that we put on the floor is valued.”
The new seven-year agreement will take effect this season and remain in place through 2032.
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