The endorsement deals by going to the Fever will be at least 4x what she would get anywhere else. She is very well spoken and professional. And she gives great interviews with a bit of humor. Perfect fit!
@@MrDallasblk maybe Kelly Krauskopf and Amber Cox can start pulling in endorsements for members of the Fever team other than Caitlin. With Kelly's history in Pacers Entertainment, I'll bet she has good ties with the local business community. Both Kelly and Amber should be pressing Cathy Engelbutt to use some of the Fever players in their ads. Aliyah Boston already has some good endorsements which were probably arranged by her agent, not by the Fever. TJ Maxx, for example. Aliyah and Lexie appeared together in an Aflac commercial. I didn't know if Fever helped make it happen, or if their agents found it for them. I was happy to see it, and I hope there will be more.
@@JE-IC So professional athletes should now be endorsed because of who they PLAY with not based on their OWN talent or marketability...my oh my how things have changed! 🤔
Where were you for the most historic WNBA season ever in 2024? TH-cam algorithm never ever showed a video from you in 2024 but this is high quality stuff. Wish you were around in 2024. Welcome...
@@reggienoble3195 i hadn’t put all my time into making content yet. which i’m trying to go all in for next season! it’s just takes a lot of time to make these vids, but i was over on tiktok and am switching over thankfully!
Rosa, you’re doing an excellent job with your Fever options. Keep up the great work. I appreciate your math strategy, and you're absolutely right about Smith-not fast enough for the Fever’s pace. The team will need two more fast-paced runners for CC’s passes, along with a strong defender and a sharpshooter from 3-point range. CC will set you up perfectly for those wide-open 3-pointers and easy layups. If Kelsey signs and we bring in a couple more players who fit Coach White's vision, the Fever will have a strong chance at a deep playoff run.
Satou would be such a perfect fit for the Fever. Amber Cox said "we have a plan" when asked about losing Temi to the expansion draft, and it's clear that they want to compete now, not later. I'm really curious to see what moves they make.
Glad I found your channel. Nice to hear intelligent talk about basketball opposed to hyped up controversy for the sake of click bait. As to the Fever free agency moves, I'm betting whoever they bring in is going to be as much about culture and the locker room as it is about stats and money.
Totally refreshing and informative show! And true to the title, unlike all the deceitful fake clickbait that seems to plague W podcasts. TYSM for that. Totally in agreement with you about Janelle Salaun. The Fever needs a big with a motor to fill Temi's void...she's a good on-ball defender who can guard all 5 positions...AND, she's a sniper too! Her good wingspan and great skills make up for her smaller size. The fever will need her as I believe NY will take Satou (reunite with younger sister Nyara). If so, NY will have an absolutely stacked team. Subscribed! Edited to add...Fever needs to keep Berger. Clark needs a back-up at the point...Grace is good. She accepted her role well last year and her time is here..heard she's killing it in the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey).
Unlike a lot of guys I've followed the WNBA since 1997 when I was a teenager, I really like your channel, it's relaxing and cool natured, I like keeping up with the W, New Subscriber! 👍🏾
I am glad you put this together. I think the way WNBA trades tend to go, makes your proposal for Satou a little too rich. Keep Grace Berger, a college star at IU, and a solid backup point guard. If they were to move ahead with a trade for Satou, Nalyssa and the #8 should get it done in my opinion. Satou may also prefer to go to the Liberty though, to play with Nyala and Sabrina (college teammates). Janelle Salaun is an interesting add who I would go after whether the Sabally trade happens or not. Remember I don’t ascribe to the social media villainizing of Nalyssa, and fans in the arena will root for players who are giving it their all. A couple outliers from your review… Erica Wallace is a backup point guard at this point in her career and a veteran leader and a UFA. After the Fever really gelled as CC’s team, Erica stepped up and played her roll great. If we had to add another player to a Satou package , there are other options to consider such as Christy Wallace and Victaria Saxton. I also think Natasha Howard is also a good veteran leader to potentially bring in, depending on the budget $. Also the next few college drafts promise to be deep, and so packaging future picks in a deal is potentially more valuable to prospective trade partners than sending them bench depth.
@@johnbrady1500 Erica Wheeler and Kristi Wallace are both close personal friends of Christie Sides. I want both gone. Don't re-sign Wheeler, and waive Wallace. Both are mediocre. Sides played favorites, using Wheeler as the backup point guard when Caitlin was on the bench. Wheeler's performance as point guard was poor, one of the worst in the league. She's slow, and lacks the endurance for the fast offense Coach White has in mind for this year. Sides should have given those minutes to Grace Berger. Grace is young and fast, and is a true point guard. She should be the backup for Caitlin and Kelsey Mitchell.
This year will be the year we find out if players really are willing to go the Indiana to play with what will be a great team or will they prefer the big markets.
FIBA lists Janelle Salaün as 6'2". Her stats are unimpressive. Satou Sabally is the key as a forward. Grace Berger had great stats in college and in the 2023 Fever season. She could be CC's backup. Sides kept her on the bench, so if White isn't going to play her, I hope she gets traded for her sake. I'd like the Fever to draft Sonia Citron, a good defender and shooter. She and Lexi Hull could share playing time.
Totally agree. Satou, Salaun, Citron, and keep Berger though it may be pie in the sky to think we could swing all that. There are options for Citron if she's gone at 8 or we don't have our 8th pick. Hunter Cruse is great at keeping us updated about potential draftees for the 3 and 4 positions.
I agree. Fever needs to keep Berger - she can back up both Caitlin and Kelsey (assuming Kelsey re-signs). Stephanie White and her assistant coaches need to invest in developing Grace. Give her minutes, help her grow.
I can’t see your reasoning in the Fever trading Grace Berger, a 6’ true point guard who was treated very poorly by Christie Sides. You commented that the Fever need a back up point guard, why look when you have one already and I am confident Coach White is be of the same opinion. Adding Sabally and Salaun and resigning Kelsey Mitchell would make the Fever a definite contender in ‘25. I feel Smith, Dantas and Wallace will be the players the Fever will try to shop around for a trade.
There is a reason why Sides did not bring in Berger much. Look at the games when CC was in and look at the games when CC sat. When CC was in it was an well oiled machine, when CC sat, it looked like a preschool team.
I disagree in part. I do not believe Dantas will be trade bait due to her value as a Boston backup, and even better as a PF backup. Something about when Dantas and Boston are on the floor together is a productive time in my opinion.
@rogerspaistefan: Exactly, why would you throw away a talented SG to act as backup to just have to go out to look for a player to fill the gap who is going to cost you more money?
@@Michael-of6zf that's mostly because Sides used Erica Wheeler as the backup point guard instead of using Grace Berger. Erica Wheeler is not a very good point guard, and her production was nowhere near good enough to justify her enormous salary. Erica is about 33 years old, and lacks the speed & endurance for the fast offense Coach White plans to run. Erica was the sub for Caitlin in the Phoenix game where Fever lost the 31 point lead. She had no idea how to keep the offense going when Phoenix switched to a zone defense. So, keep Grace, don't re-sign Erica, and invest in Grace with player development coaching and giving her meaningful minutes in every game.
Best description I have heard so far on the Fevers best options. If the Fever gets Satou It will be one hell of a ride for everyone. 2025 will see records broken on the court and new eyes in the seats. I will be one of them. Great Job!!! Job well done.
Wow, glad to find your channel. Pretty rare to find YT discussions that are based on facts instead of hype. I'm happy to subscribe. Looking forward to more reality based discussions from you.
I would not give up the farm for Satou, even though she is very talented. The injury concerns are real, over the course of her career, she has missed more games than she has played.
I think they should take some players from Europe there are a lot off players that play the style Fever want. CC playstyle whold fit a europlayer.💯 And maybe sheper then a lot off them in the US. Just a thought 😏🤑
Also next year with everyone on a 1 year contract, things will be nuts so I don't know how important 2025 will actually be in the grand scheme of things.
I don't think they should pursue Satou. She has injuries, she is saying in her interviews that she would pick Reese over Clark. Bring over the French player Saloun.
As a Wings fan this is the best thought out commentary I have seen on Satou going to the Fever. Most seem to assume that Dallas would let Satou go for nothing. Well thought out trade with the two #1 picks and two players. I still hope Satou stays in Dallas but if she leaves, we need to get a lot in return.
That's the truth. The question is if the price they want will be too big for the Fever to pay. 2 players and 2 picks is too expensive. The Fever needs too many other pieces for them to pay so much for just 1 player.
Hi, I'm from Germany and I have an important question because I'm not very familiar with your draft and free agent system. For me, a free agent is without a contract because their contract with the Wings has expired. How can it be that the Wings are still allowed to make demands for their draft. Here in Europe you can move wherever you want at the end of your contract without the current club being able to demand anything in return. Satou wants to join the Fever, as she said in 2 interviews in Germany before Christmas. She even went so far as to say that if the deal with Fever doesn't materialize, she wants to go back to Germany and play basketball there. I hope you can explain to me why the Wings are still allowed to make demands even though her contract has expired and she is out of contract. I hope you can explain this to me. I wrote what Satou wants above. Best wishes from Germany and a healthy and peaceful 2025.
Enjoyed the analysis and RL's presentation of it. Would seem that the additional exposure on and off the court that would result from playing with Clark would be worth giving up a little higher salary that might be available elsewhere - supporting RL's cap analysis as realalistic if not conservative. Subscribed and look forward to future content.
Whether you're a Fever player or not, you gotta love the atmosphere playing at home. And Fever fans travel too...so players feel supported wherever they play!
Genuinely refreshing to see more W content out in the wild, and thoughtful and insightful content, at that. Just subbed, I'm already a big fan and I can't wait to see more as free agency and the season draw closer. Will you be covering Unrivaled as well?
i will! i’ve been just trying to stay away from the less basketball oriented stories as i really got tired of covering off court issues being perceived as on court issues (some are, most aren’t). but i have two vids in the works coming in the next few days!
I truly think that if CC did not get her eye poked out in the first playoff game they would have made it past first rd. You can tell after that poked eye her shots were way off and she admitted she could not see straight for like a week.
Good ideas. But imo i'd take Sonia Citron #8 and Ajša Sivka as #20 in the draft, core Kelsey Mitchell (she's also a good leader). Trade Nalyssa Smith for Howard because she fits the way White wants to play. And the situation in Dallas was not good. So i tend to think she will get ready for the Fever challenge. And finally i'd take Nia Kurse as a free agent, so we have her and Hull as shooters. Satou won't come forget it. New subscriber.
I don't think you need to trade anything to get Natasha (true free agent). Sivka will be long gone by pick #20. I like the idea of Salaunn. I think she would help the team immediately, where someone like Sivka (at #8) is probably a few years away from contributing.
There's an Iowa teammate of CC who's playing in Europe that I think should be part of the consideration mix. She was a starter with Caitlin @ Iowa and she's been playing well in Europe.
Love your approach and analogy for building the Fever team. I hope it works out exactly as you have worked it out. The overseas player with S.S. and two good players from the bench will give the Fever a chance to win a championship. POW!POW!POW!💥💥💥🏀🏀🏀
I'd like Grace to stay in Indiana, she has potential. Sides had her in the doghouse for some reason and she was often the last one off the bench, but she could be the backup point guard.
Yeah I never understood that. I also never understood why Sides didn’t get pressured by the Fever’s front office to play her since she is the hometown player.
@@stevehardwick7285 Sides benched Grace because of favoritism. Both Erica Wheeler and Kristi Wallace are close personal friends of Christie Sides from back when all three of them were at Atlanta Dream together. Sides was assistant coach, the other two were players. When Sides came to Indiana, she persuaded Lin Dunn to bring over Wheeler and Wallace with her. Even though both Wheeler and Wallace were mediocre, Sides was using both as starters at the beginning of the season. When Caitlin needed a rest, Wheeler took over as point guard. Remember the Phoenix game when a 31 point lead was lost while Caitlin was in the bench? Wheeler's excellent point guard skills at work. Those minutes should have gone to Grace.
I love the Fever fans enthusiasm for trades but you guys should focus on keeping your core as they demand out and let SATOU go she’s staying with Dallas . She’s currently in Dallas playing 5 on 5 with Arike at the college arena 😂😂😂🤦🏽♂️ she also liked posts about coming to the La sparks but you don’t see them running a narrative 😂😂😂
For bench players, I would look at the ones that are close to retiring. They have the experience and will cost the least. They don't have to be big names, just someone who can give you a few points or rebounds while your starter is on the bench resting.
I'm thinking that with a new coach and a new development coach, we may be surprised with what we already have. My guess is that motivation is really high all through Fever land given the progressively higher expectations (now "America's Team" to play an international game!), and each teammate knows what's on the line. The Fever will spend big money on some one or two players who are good, but surely the cap (and vision) will promote actual coaching of a lot of our current bench, and I'm personally excited to see what growth ensues.
So if Fever were to get Sabally and also Janelle Salaun rather than Howard @ 214 k, would there then be enough cap space to target say...Kelsey Plum and still pick up a decent rookie ?
Malonga is 2 years away. Her hands are not good. Has problems catching passes. No way does she catch passes from CC for the next 2 years. She is 19 so she has plenty of time to develope and get some strength on her 6'6" frame. She will not get pass the Liberty at 7. Liberty has so much talent still in Europe that can come over anytime. Malonga is said to be Jonquel Jones replacement in 2-3 years.
Remember the WNBA has 2 more Expansion Drafts over the next 2 years or so, maybe more. If the Fever drafts Malonga who is 2+ years away from playing in the WNBA, you have to protect her. Meaning you are going to lose 2+ players that is helping you on the roster.
I’m in for Salaun. She is a free agent not cored as I understand it. Molonga is a different story. She is in the draft and will go 3rd or higher. She should probably go number 1. If we go all in for a high pick and someone else takes her before we can, we have spent a lot for Kiki Iriafen. If Kelsey Mitchell does not want to return I would entertain a core and trade to Chicago for the number 3.
@@GOLDKW-bl4gp those are both great points I don’t think she falls either I was imagining a team like Chicago trading down or something. Who do you think they should draft in the first round? I think everyone wants Citron and as a ND fan I’d want her on the Fever as well.
Same here…I’m in on your channel. please continue with facts and quality is great as well. Let’s go CC and Fever but most of all, let’s play some good basketball 👍🏽🤞🏽
I think everyone jumped on the Sabally bandwagon because she indicated she wants to go to the Fever and the fans don't like Smith. There are plenty of other players who could fit in with the Fever.
i think the Fever should do nothing but sign Kelsey and trade Nalyssa for maybe Sophie Cunnigham since natasha cloud has a major rift against her and phoenix may be willing to trade her. any free agent will only sign a one-year deal so everyone will be available next year with the new cba except Sabally will be unrestricted. they should use their picks on the best fit for their team or draft and stash an overseas player and concentrate on developing Lexie, the new 4 and fill out the bench but keep as much cap space available for 2026
This is also a logical strategy but keep in mind that the Fever only has 2 more seasons on CC's rookie contract to prove to her that they are willing to do whatever it takes to get her a championship. Make no mistake, if they won't do whatever it takes to get her some rings she will leave in a heartbeat. She only cares about basketball. And what do you think will happen to the Fever brand if she leaves? Think about it, what was the Fever like before she came?
@@Fizz8111 as much as i love sabally, there's only one ball and it could affect kelsey just like it did nalyssa. lexie and aliyah will be free agents in 2026 plus two new expansion teams. i just think you need to be financially flexible for 2026 and not make any big trades for someone who could be a rental
After doing some research on Satou Saballys interviews and clips, I have come to the sad but realistic conclusion that Satou is not currently a good fit with Clark and the Fever. Her disloyal interviews show the underbelly of her true opinion of Caitlin Clark. Check the interviews, it's all there
Why was Erica Wheeler ($202,154) left off your roster? I personally think Berger is best suited for development as the backup PG for CC playing the 1&2 positions in the rotation for KM as well. Fever needs a 4 like Salaun or Izzy Harrison and a defensive minded 5 to fill Temi's former role. Just my 2 cents.
Why is Erica Wheeler never mentioned as a signed player? This is the third or fourth time she’s been noticeably missing when the Fever roster is mentioned. What did I miss?
Yep Erica Wheeler is a Free Agent and not under contract and not sure Fever are willing to pay her the vet minimum or that she is willing to take vet minimum. She’s a good person and decent player but her play style does not really fit the team anymore.
@ she was the first or second highest player on the team (KLS was the other), and in there no doubt indy won’t offer her that coming up. her contributions on court compared to her low plus minus don’t bode well. BUT she shiiiiines w her vibe off court. so a lot of peeps are putting the idea of her coming on in some coaching bc aspect. idk what role she’d be or if there anything that can even substantiate this. but indiana is not promoting her so the writing seems it be on the wall? but who knows!
I wonder if the fever speaks to Satou for 2026, as we would be giving a lot for a one year contract as there is no way anyone signs for more than one year due to the CBA. But I do think looking at some players from euro league is a good option for us, we may not need the draft picks but using them to then trade their contracts after the cba could be another way. I think we will naturally improve this year and probably make semi-finals of play-offs, we could do more, but I would be happy at semis. New subcriber and enjoyed this video, I hope your channel grows as you have good knowledge.
I like your break down but I find it hard for them to give up the 8th pick with the talent coming in on this draft now with that been said getting the 5th pick would set there future up and move ab to the power forward spot with domick malonga
Mitchel has hinted that she might want to leave. If she's cored then she'll may want to do a sign and trade. If Satou comes to the Fever then I pretty sure Kelsey will want to go. She wants the ball. She wants to be a team leader. Even without Satou I think Mitchel will want to go. That will mean the Fever will have to find a replacement for Mitchel. I believe foreign players who have never been drafted can come in as a free agent but have to come under a rookie contract. Grace Berger might want to be traded for a potential starting position this means there's only Wheeler left as backup guard for the rest of the starting guards and I don't see her as a point guard.The fever need at least one if not two guards from the draft or free agency. Iowa/Clark fans have been screaming to get Lucy Olson, who plays point, in Indy, but there should be other options. Howards stats are good but at 33 can she keep up? She's also expensive at $224,675. Under your plan then the Fever can only afford 2 rookie contracts. Of course if Mitchel leaves then there's more money on the table. The other thing to remember is that with the expansion draft next year, 2 players will be lost. Be careful of getting players this year that you don't want to lose next year.
She said it as about business. They said they will give her a max contract and she's got endorsement deals with NIKE and Gatorade and million + contract with the Chinese league as did Smith. Plus her numbers are up because CC is passing to her which makes her a more attractive option. If she does come back, it will be about her family's tragedy. I think she says things that come off a little bit too negative because she's still hurting.
No bad blood? You don't think that laughing on camera with her girlfriend about the eye gouge/punch that Carrington did to CC-22 created some degree of bad blood against her that she had her girlfriend's back against her teammate in that? That she chuckled about the roller derby hip check that Chennedy Carter threw on Caitlin for no reason other than CC-22 was there and Carter was apparently at the wrong time of the month? I would say there is bad blood among the players regarding Nalyssa Smith.
Nice comment! Seems to me any interesting tikcok gets reposted on X. Your presentation is professional quality and not really suited to a kick streamer platform.
I think this great. Who would have thought 2 years ago that we would have had this much hype from people breaking down WNBA free agency. But here we are
She's a great fit, but I would not trust her injuries... I would not trust Paige's injury history either. To many games....especially with the new league adding games. The league needs to do a better job of protecting its stars.
Great analysis. Happy you moved over here form TikTok. Problem with this kinda "logical" analysis is, that there are some more teams around than the Fever and the Wings and all have plans interacting with each others plans. If for example the Valkyries hire Kelsey Plum from the Aces this could start a very fast roundabout of transfers including Satou.
@@nicolaskorte2183 Oh i know! and w the new. CBA who knows what will happen with 2025. but the fever have a hot iron right now and thinking that striking might be a move they’re thinking of doing.
Are you employed by the Dallas franchise, or are you just stoned? You want Indiana to give up the former 2nd overall pick, an 8th overall pick, a decent rotation player, and a future 1st round pick, all for an often injured player who, while better when healthy, is a question mark on that very issue, her availability? I tell you what. Just to show how stupid that is, let's turn it completely atound. Indiana gives up Nalyssa Smith, a former 2nd overall pick, and Dallas returns a future 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, Satou Sabally, and a bench player that provides depth in their rotation as a young legitimate backup for Clark that can be trained up. I know they have Berger,but I am not certain she's got the wheels to move the offense at the pace they're going to need to move it to compete the way Stephanie wants to run them. How does that sound? Yeah, doesn't sound equitable, does it? Guess what? It sounds just as equitable as your suggestion. I would offer Dallas the 20th pick, and Nalyssa Smith for Sabally. If you want the Fever to give up a future 1st, then they should trade 1st rounders. I personally don't see the need to do that. If Dallas is going to insist on the 8th pick, Indiana should insist on a late 1st or early 2nd to sweeten the pot. They're the ones taking the greater risk after all, with the injury history of Sabally. She's a much better defender than Smith,and more versatile on offense, when healthy, but that's precisely the point, the when healthy part of the equation. I think Indiana should look at signing Janelle Salon. That's going to bring in height, defense, youth, versatility on offense, and a limited hit on their cap space. I think they can sign Kelsey without coring her. Just offer her the max salary she earned over the last 237 years in the league. She's shown she is worth the money. Offer her for four years. Thst virtually takes her to the point where she's likely to retire with the team. Indiana then has a new assistant coach for White's staff. I still keep Berger around,and even keep Wheeler, although she's more suited to shooting guard rather than point where Sides kept playing her. Or you can cut her loose with her high salary. You could even do a cut and resign renegotiation to get her more in the salary area she should have been rather than the overly inflated salary the previous regime had her. Dantas is a keeper and so is Samuelson, although both are bench depth. My setup has the 5 being Sabally, Mitchell, Boston, Clark, and Hull. Hull may be a fan favorite, but she's clearly earned her spot in the starting 5. 1st off the bench would be Salon who will spell Boston, Sabally, and Hull. Dantas can also give you minutes in the bigs game. Samuelson is 8th in the rotation. You still would have Berger as your depth at point unless you manage to find a better option. I keep Wheeler as insurance on Kelsey needing a breather. That is 10 of the 12 spots. Then you use the draft for depth, say a big, and a hybrid point/shooting guard to develop entirely in the Stephenie White mold. There's your 12.
I believe that all that the Fever needs at max contract is just Mitchell and a solid power forward that's good at defense and rebounding, decent scorer. And better off the bench players.. Cuz I believe CC will be better and make her teammates alot better with another year under her belt... I Believe with CC they don't need a lot of high paid players just solid players.. (My opinion)
Here's another possible scenario for the Fever: Keep Lexie Hull, she's on a rookie deal and will likely not cost the team an arm and a leg to resign once that deal is up. Instead: Trade Kelsey Mitchell to the Mystics for Ariel Atkins and the #6 pick. Trade Nalyssa Smith + Christy Wallace, + #6 for Satou Sabally. Pick up another big in free agency to fill Fagbenle's spot on the roster. Or use their #8 pick for one. Westbeld might be available at 8, or draft n stash Sivka. Resign Wheeler to half of her 2024 salary. She's pretty much Kelsey Mitchell light in my opinion,a and a good locker room gal besides. Roster would look as such PG Clark, Wheeler SG Atkins, Berger SF Hull, Samuelson, Saxton PF Satally, FA (Nneke, Howard, Saloun all possible choices) C Boston, Dantas + whoever the Fever landed at #8 unless its a draft n stash
I think I like this scenario as much as any I have seen. From what I have read and seen (if it is all true) KM doesn't seem like she can take the pressure of playing for the Fever. I think she wants out. No hard feelings she is a very good player and person. I can understand where she is coming from. The pressure to win in 2025 is going to be 2x as bad as it was in 2024. My only question is would these new players be able to handle the pressure? The only one I feel confident in would be Satou. She seems like a savvy player who understands the benefits of playing with CC.
@@Fizz8111Atkins is a lockdown defender and seasoned pro with a couple finals appearances, all star showings and all defensive first teams. She's a year or so younger than Mitchell and is a much more rounded player than Kelsey averaging more rebounds, assists, and steals. I just think the Fever would be much better defensively with her starting rather than Mitchell. I'm just not sure the Mystics would give up their #6 pick unless the Fever include their #8. In which case the Fever would not be getting their first round pick. However just the thought of seeing Satally + Atkins in the starting lineup is enough to give me shivers and if they can also sign a big time FA like Saloun they can have the option of running their version of a Liberty big lineup with Satally at the 3 and Hull backing her up.
And here's the other thing, playing alongside Caitlin Clark will free up Atkins' offensive game just as it did Kelsey's. So I would expect her average ppg to jump from 15 to 18 , which would be equal to Mitchell's 2024 production. Plus the Fever get a better passer, better defender, and better rebounder. Her paired with Clark would be really solid in my opinion and allow the Fever to get by with a more perimeter oriented finesse big like Satally. If you want to add a finesse player like Satally you need to get a derensive ace like Atkins (only player similar is Jackie Young and she's not leaving LV).
@@christopherkohl6511 that's a great scenario and probably would work well but thing is the Fever front office r hell bent on keeping Mitchell because mid-season her and Clark had chemistry. Mitchell wants out. I say she checked out mentally during the playoffs. Hope their plans don't backfire and cost them a legitimate run to the finals.
If possible why not sign and trade Mitchell to the Mystics for the lockdown defender Ariel Atkins and their #6 pick, the Clark/Mitchell backcourt is just too weak defensively the time to trade Mitchell is NOW in my opinion while she is way over valued. Locking her into a multi year max contract will hamper the Fever's ability to get better for years and years.
@@franks9432I meant she'll likely never leave if the Fever don't move her on this year. She'll sign a long term max deal after 2025 and the Fever will be stuck with her for years and years just like they got stuck with Wheeler's gargantuan contract. I like parts of Kelsey's game but not for the max money. She's extremely undersized for a SG and one dimensional, and a volume shooter at that. The Fever could do much better than her for less money.
I’m in the minority right now, but I’m not sure that I want to this year. I don’t think that even with her, the Fever would challenge for a championship, and it’s just a one-year rental anyways.
@impartialreview-r7f Wheeler is the backup at point because she had a history with Sides. She's not a natural point guard. Berger is, and should have been Caitlin's backup last year. You really should pay attention more. You should also learn the English language better if you are going to use a screen name like that.
@@impartialreview-r7f They could free up a whole lot of money if they trade Nalyssa Smith and Wheeler for Sabally, then sign Janelle Salaun. Salaun moves to 6th in the rotation and Sabally fills the starter role Smith did. Salaun becomes their insurance for Sabally getting injured. I have checked. The Fever has almost $700,000 in cap space left. That's a whole lot. Even at a max deal, Kelsey Mitchell won't run them more than $275,000 of that. Sabally shouldn't be more than $215,000. So they have about $200,000 for Salaun and any rookie contracts. They have two slots to fill if all works out as I suggested. You can add to that $200,000 the amount that Smith and Wheeler were making. That easily takes them back to over $400,000 in cap space. They can afford one more name for depth. Make it a veteran on a one year deal for say $150,000, and you still have around $250,000 for your rookies. Now, here's the rub. If Sabally's team insists on a first round pick, Indiana has 2 of them. Offer them the 20th pick. If they insist on the 8th pick, tell them it will cost them a pick in return, either a late 1st round or early 2nd round pick. Use the other 1st round and the 2nd round pick to draft a big and a hybrid point/shooting guard for depth. With Berger, Samuelson, and Saxton that makes 11 roster spots with over $100,000 still left in the coffers. You can draft someone else or chase some help in free agency. If it comes down to it, Samuelson is probably an option for release. She can easily be replaced. I would prefer to keep her if possible for veteran leadership if nothing else. That's just how I see it. If Sabally falls off the table, then there are other options. But that is the best roster I see available. Those are upgrades across the board. The biggest upgrade was replacing Sides with Stephanie White.
JMHO---Go all out to get Sabally to replace Temi that they let get away, then do the best you can do with the other two spots. Too bad we couldn't have had Temi and Sabally both on the same team, but......
The Big question is will the League continue Cheating and Abusing Clark. Will Indiana Organization Not undermine Caitlin like last year. She should never come back. Having said that with the Coach actually trying to Win and any good players added. Indiana definitely Could Win the Championship.
SS is an unrestricted free agent after her 1 year contract end last 2024 season .She played with Dallas for 3 years during her rookie years so she can sign with Fever without any restriction with Dallas No trade is required . Fever can sign her with max contract at 250k still able to retain N Smith .Fever need 2 Nos Power Forward With Salary Cap Space of 657K , There is still 157K left after resigned Kelsey Michell , Fever can still use their 1st Round Draft NO.8 pick either Sonia Citron then in the 2nd round Ajsa Sivka of Solvenia a SG/ SF at 6'4" for 140K - 145 K for two draft picks that will allow them to have reserve player
I have a weird feeling fans are not going to be happy if they keep Smith. She’s not a bad player at all, look at her history. She was coached under Kim Mulkey at Baylor before she moved to LSU and was an impact player. She was #2 overall draft pick and won Athletes Unlimited a couple years ago. She’s tall, and still on her rookie contract. I think she just needs better coaching and training. She’s not worth enough to just ditch so easily. Satou is awesome but an injury risk. It would be a shame to give up that 8th pick for her when we have such a strong draft class in 2025. But maybe they can make the trade happen somehow. We don’t need to see Saxton, Wallace, or Wheeler on the team. All wonderful ladies so it’s nothing personal, they just aren’t contributing enough and aren’t clutch off the bench when given chances. Katie Lou is another near max contract player but is still on contract. I’d love to see if the Fever can get her mind right and back to her previous form. She’s a big and a former UCONN player so she’s no slouch. She just had a down year after her baby was born. Mitchell should only be cored if she wants to be there. She was drafted to the Fever (just after A’ja Wilson) and as good as she is, her team never made the playoffs all these years. We’ve seen great chemistry between her and Caitlin and I’m not sure she will have the same impact playing for another team. Caitlin, AB, and KM have a special thing going and it would be nice to see that continue at least for another year. Lexie Hull is a fan favorite. She’s a great player but may be relegated to the bench if the Fever grab some veteran starters. It’s going to be interesting to see what the staff can come up with for the team in 2025. They have the core, they just need to build around it, focusing on defense and a player that can take some attention away from Caitlin which will leave her more open compared to 2024 when we saw teams just swarm around her.
Katie wasn't good before the baby. 5 teams since UConn isn't good. Dunn really hurt the Fever with her contract. She may b nice and all but she contributes nothing. This will b her last year with the Fever and probably last year playing as I don't see her being picked up by another team as she's been passed around.
The lowest I could see Lexie falling in the rotation is 6th. If you trade Smith and bring in Sabally, Lexie is still in your top 5. Katie Lou, even if she regains some of her form from pre-baby would have to earn her way back up the rotation. As for the others, Wheeler is your only current protection for Caitlin at point, right? Dantes is right now the 6. You're looking at her and Samuelson as definitely keepers. That's 7 of the 9 currently under contract. Add in Wheeler and that's 8 of 9. Also, if I were sending Smith with a 1st round pick, I would consider the 20th pick initially rather than the 8th. That gives you some room to negotiate. If they want the 8th pick, let them pony up a pick of their own, say a very early 2nd or late 1st. I also like the idea of Janelle Salon, who you could likely get relatively cheaply. She's young, versatile, is accustomed to a faster paced playing style, and can play and defend all 5 positions.
@@ericMT I agree, don't re-sign Wheeler. Waive Wallace. Both were personal friends of Christie Sides, and neither played particularly well. We need a clean break from the Sides poor decision making. For Saxton, Coach White should evaluate whether she could be worth keeping if development effort were invested in her. NaLyssa was very inconsistent this past season. When she's motivated, she shows us why she was the #2 pick. But when she's moody, she half-asses it. She can play well, but can she bring the passion and be consistent? I'm skeptical. Can she bring the thunder against her girlfriend's team? I'm skeptical. I too am concerned about Satou's history of injuries. Fever needs to keep Grace Berger and develop her to be the backup for Caitlin and Kelsey. She's balling out in Turkey, so she'll come back in shape and fresh on her skills. Have the player development coach work with her, and give her meaningful minutes in every game.
@@karencarlisle2887 Lin Dunn was clearly a poor GM, in many ways. Hiring Katie Lou to a guaranteed 2 year max contract is a classic example of how stupid Dunn is. I don't see any team being willing to take Katie Lou with her poor record and her huge salary in a trade. I fear Fever is stuck with her one more year. Since Fever is stuck with her one more year, I can only hope Katie Lou has been working on her game during this off season. I hope she was embarrassed enough by her performance last year to put in the effort. If she has gotten fit, then Unrivaled will help her polish up her shooting, passing, defense, etc. Even so, I think Fever won't be getting much value from the $180,000 that they're paying her.
@JE-IC one difference I like is that Coach White won't keep playing her like Sides did. Sides kept pushing her until she couldn't justify it any longer. Unfortunately Fever have to pay her either way. Think Wallace has another year as well. Don't see either of them getting off bench much but if anyone can improve them it's Coach White.
Is 'fattening' up Indy's roster with players you'll want to stick around prior to the two team expansion draft next December kind of .. IDK... wasted effort and $ at this point?
This year, coring doesn’t seem so bad because anybody who signs as a free agent will sign for one year because of the collective bargaining negations after this year.
The endorsement deals by going to the Fever will be at least 4x what she would get anywhere else. She is very well spoken and professional. And she gives great interviews with a bit of humor. Perfect fit!
@@buzzard6410 In NY she would also maximize her marketing potential.
@buzzard6410: Agreed, but... The problem is how much it will cost to get her?
Yeah, K. Mitchell is overflowing with endorsements by being Indy...you Fever fans are hilarious 🤦
@@MrDallasblk maybe Kelly Krauskopf and Amber Cox can start pulling in endorsements for members of the Fever team other than Caitlin. With Kelly's history in Pacers Entertainment, I'll bet she has good ties with the local business community. Both Kelly and Amber should be pressing Cathy Engelbutt to use some of the Fever players in their ads.
Aliyah Boston already has some good endorsements which were probably arranged by her agent, not by the Fever. TJ Maxx, for example.
Aliyah and Lexie appeared together in an Aflac commercial. I didn't know if Fever helped make it happen, or if their agents found it for them. I was happy to see it, and I hope there will be more.
@@JE-IC
So professional athletes should now be endorsed because of who they PLAY with not based on their OWN talent or marketability...my oh my how things have changed! 🤔
Where were you for the most historic WNBA season ever in 2024? TH-cam algorithm never ever showed a video from you in 2024 but this is high quality stuff. Wish you were around in 2024. Welcome...
@@reggienoble3195 i hadn’t put all my time into making content yet. which i’m trying to go all in for next season! it’s just takes a lot of time to make these vids, but i was over on tiktok and am switching over thankfully!
@@rosalinamerrihue I agree with Reggie3195. New sub just now.
Same here, new sub (but whenever I say that, I always envision a collar around my neck 🤦🏿♂️...😅)
Rosa, you’re doing an excellent job with your Fever options. Keep up the great work. I appreciate your math strategy, and you're absolutely right about Smith-not fast enough for the Fever’s pace. The team will need two more fast-paced runners for CC’s passes, along with a strong defender and a sharpshooter from 3-point range. CC will set you up perfectly for those wide-open 3-pointers and easy layups. If Kelsey signs and we bring in a couple more players who fit Coach White's vision, the Fever will have a strong chance at a deep playoff run.
Satou would be such a perfect fit for the Fever. Amber Cox said "we have a plan" when asked about losing Temi to the expansion draft, and it's clear that they want to compete now, not later. I'm really curious to see what moves they make.
@@angelas4681 I say Satou is plan.
Glad I found your channel. Nice to hear intelligent talk about basketball opposed to hyped up controversy for the sake of click bait. As to the Fever free agency moves, I'm betting whoever they bring in is going to be as much about culture and the locker room as it is about stats and money.
Totally refreshing and informative show! And true to the title, unlike all the deceitful fake clickbait that seems to plague W podcasts. TYSM for that. Totally in agreement with you about Janelle Salaun. The Fever needs a big with a motor to fill Temi's void...she's a good on-ball defender who can guard all 5 positions...AND, she's a sniper too! Her good wingspan and great skills make up for her smaller size. The fever will need her as I believe NY will take Satou (reunite with younger sister Nyara). If so, NY will have an absolutely stacked team. Subscribed!
Edited to add...Fever needs to keep Berger. Clark needs a back-up at the point...Grace is good. She accepted her role well last year and her time is here..heard she's killing it in the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey).
Love your content, btw. I subscribed with an earlier post of yours.
Unlike a lot of guys I've followed the WNBA since 1997 when I was a teenager, I really like your channel, it's relaxing and cool natured, I like keeping up with the W, New Subscriber! 👍🏾
@@AMart870 love this!
I am glad you put this together. I think the way WNBA trades tend to go, makes your proposal for Satou a little too rich. Keep Grace Berger, a college star at IU, and a solid backup point guard. If they were to move ahead with a trade for Satou, Nalyssa and the #8 should get it done in my opinion. Satou may also prefer to go to the Liberty though, to play with Nyala and Sabrina (college teammates). Janelle Salaun is an interesting add who I would go after whether the Sabally trade happens or not. Remember I don’t ascribe to the social media villainizing of Nalyssa, and fans in the arena will root for players who are giving it their all. A couple outliers from your review… Erica Wallace is a backup point guard at this point in her career and a veteran leader and a UFA. After the Fever really gelled as CC’s team, Erica stepped up and played her roll great. If we had to add another player to a Satou package , there are other options to consider such as Christy Wallace and Victaria Saxton. I also think Natasha Howard is also a good veteran leader to potentially bring in, depending on the budget $. Also the next few college drafts promise to be deep, and so packaging future picks in a deal is potentially more valuable to prospective trade partners than sending them bench depth.
@@johnbrady1500 Erica Wheeler and Kristi Wallace are both close personal friends of Christie Sides. I want both gone. Don't re-sign Wheeler, and waive Wallace. Both are mediocre.
Sides played favorites, using Wheeler as the backup point guard when Caitlin was on the bench. Wheeler's performance as point guard was poor, one of the worst in the league. She's slow, and lacks the endurance for the fast offense Coach White has in mind for this year.
Sides should have given those minutes to Grace Berger. Grace is young and fast, and is a true point guard. She should be the backup for Caitlin and Kelsey Mitchell.
This year will be the year we find out if players really are willing to go the Indiana to play with what will be a great team or will they prefer the big markets.
thank you for your breakdown. its nice to have a breath of fresh air with so many channels.
Fever need Grace to backup both guard positions.
FIBA lists Janelle Salaün as 6'2". Her stats are unimpressive. Satou Sabally is the key as a forward. Grace Berger had great stats in college and in the 2023 Fever season. She could be CC's backup. Sides kept her on the bench, so if White isn't going to play her, I hope she gets traded for her sake. I'd like the Fever to draft Sonia Citron, a good defender and shooter. She and Lexi Hull could share playing time.
Totally agree. Satou, Salaun, Citron, and keep Berger though it may be pie in the sky to think we could swing all that. There are options for Citron if she's gone at 8 or we don't have our 8th pick. Hunter Cruse is great at keeping us updated about potential draftees for the 3 and 4 positions.
U give up Berger,,,,u have no decent backup for CC,,, hard to find a backup with the potential of grace,,,,
I agree, but Burger needs playing time. She's wasting away sitting on the bench
@ new coach in town,,,,will get playing time,,,,,
I agree, getting rid of Grace brings no advantages.
I agree. Fever needs to keep Berger - she can back up both Caitlin and Kelsey (assuming Kelsey re-signs).
Stephanie White and her assistant coaches need to invest in developing Grace. Give her minutes, help her grow.
Just found your channel. Really enjoyed this video and am now a subscriber 💪🏻👊🏼👍
Just found you and this was great. Subbed
I can’t see your reasoning in the Fever trading Grace Berger, a 6’ true point guard who was treated very poorly by Christie Sides. You commented that the Fever need a back up point guard, why look when you have one already and I am confident Coach White is be of the same opinion. Adding Sabally and Salaun and resigning Kelsey Mitchell would make the Fever a definite contender in ‘25. I feel Smith, Dantas and Wallace will be the players the Fever will try to shop around for a trade.
There is a reason why Sides did not bring in Berger much. Look at the games when CC was in and look at the games when CC sat. When CC was in it was an well oiled machine, when CC sat, it looked like a preschool team.
@@Michael-of6zf That is why indiana neeed a proper coach.
I disagree in part. I do not believe Dantas will be trade bait due to her value as a Boston backup, and even better as a PF backup. Something about when Dantas and Boston are on the floor together is a productive time in my opinion.
@rogerspaistefan: Exactly, why would you throw away a talented SG to act as backup to just have to go out to look for a player to fill the gap who is going to cost you more money?
@@Michael-of6zf that's mostly because Sides used Erica Wheeler as the backup point guard instead of using Grace Berger.
Erica Wheeler is not a very good point guard, and her production was nowhere near good enough to justify her enormous salary. Erica is about 33 years old, and lacks the speed & endurance for the fast offense Coach White plans to run. Erica was the sub for Caitlin in the Phoenix game where Fever lost the 31 point lead. She had no idea how to keep the offense going when Phoenix switched to a zone defense.
So, keep Grace, don't re-sign Erica, and invest in Grace with player development coaching and giving her meaningful minutes in every game.
Best description I have heard so far on the Fevers best options. If the Fever gets Satou It will be one hell of a ride for everyone.
2025 will see records broken on the court and new eyes in the seats. I will be one of them. Great Job!!! Job well done.
Wow, glad to find your channel. Pretty rare to find YT discussions that are based on facts instead of hype. I'm happy to subscribe. Looking forward to more reality based discussions from you.
Like your show you do a good job. Many off the others make things up just for clicks thank s for not doing that.💯❤️
I would not give up the farm for Satou, even though she is very talented. The injury concerns are real, over the course of her career, she has missed more games than she has played.
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New Subscriber... I liked the way you delivered your information and the logic of it, so good luck! Go Fever!
A very reasoned argument. Time will tell.
I think they should take some players from Europe there are a lot off players that play the style Fever want. CC playstyle whold fit a europlayer.💯 And maybe sheper then a lot off them in the US. Just a thought 😏🤑
Have to disagree. Too many great prospects in the draft this year that they can get for cheap. Would not give up any of the draft picks.
Also next year with everyone on a 1 year contract, things will be nuts so I don't know how important 2025 will actually be in the grand scheme of things.
First time watching you, very impressed with this explanation on trades and free agents. I subscribed.
Enjoyed your content. Very well thought out. Liked and Subscribed.
You're right about the LYNX. Being ambush predators in the wild suggests a fast silent surprise for the league. Fun to watch!
Welcome to TH-cam. Subscribed.
I don't think they should pursue Satou. She has injuries, she is saying in her interviews that she would pick Reese over Clark. Bring over the French player Saloun.
As a Wings fan this is the best thought out commentary I have seen on Satou going to the Fever. Most seem to assume that Dallas would let Satou go for nothing. Well thought out trade with the two #1 picks and two players. I still hope Satou stays in Dallas but if she leaves, we need to get a lot in return.
That's the truth. The question is if the price they want will be too big for the Fever to pay. 2 players and 2 picks is too expensive. The Fever needs too many other pieces for them to pay so much for just 1 player.
@@Fizz8111 especially a player with a history of so many injuries.
Hi, I'm from Germany and I have an important question because I'm not very familiar with your draft and free agent system. For me, a free agent is without a contract because their contract with the Wings has expired. How can it be that the Wings are still allowed to make demands for their draft. Here in Europe you can move wherever you want at the end of your contract without the current club being able to demand anything in return. Satou wants to join the Fever, as she said in 2 interviews in Germany before Christmas. She even went so far as to say that if the deal with Fever doesn't materialize, she wants to go back to Germany and play basketball there. I hope you can explain to me why the Wings are still allowed to make demands even though her contract has expired and she is out of contract. I hope you can explain this to me. I wrote what Satou wants above. Best wishes from Germany and a healthy and peaceful 2025.
Enjoyed the analysis and RL's presentation of it. Would seem that the additional exposure on and off the court that would result from playing with Clark would be worth giving up a little higher salary that might be available elsewhere - supporting RL's cap analysis as realalistic if not conservative. Subscribed and look forward to future content.
Whether you're a Fever player or not, you gotta love the atmosphere playing at home. And Fever fans travel too...so players feel supported wherever they play!
I subbed, great content.
Genuinely refreshing to see more W content out in the wild, and thoughtful and insightful content, at that. Just subbed, I'm already a big fan and I can't wait to see more as free agency and the season draw closer. Will you be covering Unrivaled as well?
i will! i’ve been just trying to stay away from the less basketball oriented stories as i really got tired of covering off court issues being perceived as on court issues (some are, most aren’t). but i have two vids in the works coming in the next few days!
Grace berger has to stay, she is the second choice point guard and will improve massively under stephanie white´s coaching.
Subscribed. It's great to see another voice pop up on my feed. ❤🎉
After the Olympic break the Fever beat the Liberty. Fever has the potential to be in the finals next season.
They beat the liberty before the Olympic break
I truly think that if CC did not get her eye poked out in the first playoff game they would have made it past first rd. You can tell after that poked eye her shots were way off and she admitted she could not see straight for like a week.
@@Michael-of6zfthey should've won that second game. Clark took the lead with 3 min left. And then well u watched who threw away the game.
I love how you WALKED Wheeler right off the team and never mentioned her name, CLASSIC! I agree with you on this!
She’s much too expensive to keep for a bench player
@ericMT but she is popular with players and fans so make a player/coach position for her?
Good ideas. But imo i'd take Sonia Citron #8 and Ajša Sivka as #20 in the draft, core Kelsey Mitchell (she's also a good leader). Trade Nalyssa Smith for Howard because she fits the way White wants to play. And the situation in Dallas was not good. So i tend to think she will get ready for the Fever challenge. And finally i'd take Nia Kurse as a free agent, so we have her and Hull as shooters. Satou won't come forget it. New subscriber.
I don't think you need to trade anything to get Natasha (true free agent). Sivka will be long gone by pick #20. I like the idea of Salaunn. I think she would help the team immediately, where someone like Sivka (at #8) is probably a few years away from contributing.
Howard is not leaving Dallas because the "situation was not good," she's leaving for "personal" reasons but think what you want!
There's an Iowa teammate of CC who's playing in Europe that I think should be part of the consideration mix. She was a starter with Caitlin @ Iowa and she's been playing well in Europe.
This was a fantastic breakdown! Thank you!
followed you from tik tok. Love the content!
Love your approach and analogy for building the Fever team. I hope it works out exactly as you have worked it out. The overseas player with S.S. and two good players from the bench will give the Fever a chance to win a championship. POW!POW!POW!💥💥💥🏀🏀🏀
I'd like Grace to stay in Indiana, she has potential. Sides had her in the doghouse for some reason and she was often the last one off the bench, but she could be the backup point guard.
same
Yeah I never understood that. I also never understood why Sides didn’t get pressured by the Fever’s front office to play her since she is the hometown player.
They have to have Grace as a backup point guard. They are already losing Wheeler.
@@stevehardwick7285 Sides benched Grace because of favoritism.
Both Erica Wheeler and Kristi Wallace are close personal friends of Christie Sides from back when all three of them were at Atlanta Dream together. Sides was assistant coach, the other two were players.
When Sides came to Indiana, she persuaded Lin Dunn to bring over Wheeler and Wallace with her.
Even though both Wheeler and Wallace were mediocre, Sides was using both as starters at the beginning of the season. When Caitlin needed a rest, Wheeler took over as point guard. Remember the Phoenix game when a 31 point lead was lost while Caitlin was in the bench? Wheeler's excellent point guard skills at work.
Those minutes should have gone to Grace.
@@JE-IC That must be the issue, I can't imagine Grace causing any problems within the team. I hope she gets a lot more floor time this coming season.
I love the Fever fans enthusiasm for trades but you guys should focus on keeping your core as they demand out and let SATOU go she’s staying with Dallas . She’s currently in Dallas playing 5 on 5 with Arike at the college arena 😂😂😂🤦🏽♂️ she also liked posts about coming to the La sparks but you don’t see them running a narrative 😂😂😂
Let the delusion continue, it's actually quite entertaining 😆😆😆
Another idea: instead of going for Satou, what if the Fever does a trade with Aces to get Megan Gustafson as a power forward?
Meg Gustafson would be great
Even being an Iowa fan, I wouldn't try to get Gustafson. She's too slow.
Gustafson quit basketball and is in medical school
some thought went into the podcast, for sure! Nice job.
I hate math, but you did a great job. First time watching you and you're great in front of a camera as well as behind a mic.
For bench players, I would look at the ones that are close to retiring. They have the experience and will cost the least. They don't have to be big names, just someone who can give you a few points or rebounds while your starter is on the bench resting.
enjoyed the video. well done and thank you
I'm thinking that with a new coach and a new development coach, we may be surprised with what we already have. My guess is that motivation is really high all through Fever land given the progressively higher expectations (now "America's Team" to play an international game!), and each teammate knows what's on the line. The Fever will spend big money on some one or two players who are good, but surely the cap (and vision) will promote actual coaching of a lot of our current bench, and I'm personally excited to see what growth ensues.
So if Fever were to get Sabally and also Janelle Salaun rather than Howard @ 214 k, would there then be enough cap space to target say...Kelsey Plum and still pick up a decent rookie ?
If I was the fever I’d go after Salaun and Malonga bring over the French duo
Malonga is 2 years away. Her hands are not good. Has problems catching passes. No way does she catch passes from CC for the next 2 years. She is 19 so she has plenty of time to develope and get some strength on her 6'6" frame. She will not get pass the Liberty at 7. Liberty has so much talent still in Europe that can come over anytime. Malonga is said to be Jonquel Jones replacement in 2-3 years.
Remember the WNBA has 2 more Expansion Drafts over the next 2 years or so, maybe more. If the Fever drafts Malonga who is 2+ years away from playing in the WNBA, you have to protect her. Meaning you are going to lose 2+ players that is helping you on the roster.
I’m in for Salaun. She is a free agent not cored as I understand it. Molonga is a different story. She is in the draft and will go 3rd or higher. She should probably go number 1. If we go all in for a high pick and someone else takes her before we can, we have spent a lot for Kiki Iriafen. If Kelsey Mitchell does not want to return I would entertain a core and trade to Chicago for the number 3.
@@GOLDKW-bl4gp those are both great points I don’t think she falls either I was imagining a team like Chicago trading down or something. Who do you think they should draft in the first round? I think everyone wants Citron and as a ND fan I’d want her on the Fever as well.
@@djthegoat4819 I hope Citron makes it to #8. A great fit for the Fever and has played with CC on youth national teams.
Do we really want her though? She's injury-prone. How many games did she play in the last 3 years?? I love her but the risk is high.
Very informative keep it up
Same here…I’m in on your channel. please continue with facts and quality is great as well. Let’s go CC and Fever but most of all, let’s play some good basketball 👍🏽🤞🏽
Wow, what a great breakdown. I hope they get Fiebich (sp?). My head is spinning.
Dantas,Grace and Saxton Stays in Indy.
Nice video! Doesn't Satou have injury problems? Sometimes these persist.
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They want her so bad they can her!
Shocking how little CC22 is paid. And, why is Samuelson at the top of the list? Crazy.
Katie stinks. This will b her last year thank God!!!
I think everyone jumped on the Sabally bandwagon because she indicated she wants to go to the Fever and the fans don't like Smith. There are plenty of other players who could fit in with the Fever.
I do agree
I also think if the Fever have 2 first pick they also use that 20th to try to move up the boards as well
i think the Fever should do nothing but sign Kelsey and trade Nalyssa for maybe Sophie Cunnigham since natasha cloud has a major rift against her and phoenix may be willing to trade her. any free agent will only sign a one-year deal so everyone will be available next year with the new cba except Sabally will be unrestricted. they should use their picks on the best fit for their team or draft and stash an overseas player and concentrate on developing Lexie, the new 4 and fill out the bench but keep as much cap space available for 2026
I like Cunningham
This is also a logical strategy but keep in mind that the Fever only has 2 more seasons on CC's rookie contract to prove to her that they are willing to do whatever it takes to get her a championship. Make no mistake, if they won't do whatever it takes to get her some rings she will leave in a heartbeat. She only cares about basketball. And what do you think will happen to the Fever brand if she leaves? Think about it, what was the Fever like before she came?
They're not letting go of Tash.
@@Fizz8111 as much as i love sabally, there's only one ball and it could affect kelsey just like it did nalyssa. lexie and aliyah will be free agents in 2026 plus two new expansion teams. i just think you need to be financially flexible for 2026 and not make any big trades for someone who could be a rental
Big fan of Sabally! I feel like any team that gets her becomes an instant contender.
If she goes to the Liberty, the avg height of the starting 5 would be 6' 4"
Awesome analysis ... Go the Fever !
After doing some research on Satou Saballys interviews and clips, I have come to the sad but realistic conclusion that Satou is not currently a good fit with Clark and the Fever. Her disloyal interviews show the underbelly of her true opinion of Caitlin Clark. Check the interviews, it's all there
what she did say
Why was Erica Wheeler ($202,154) left off your roster? I personally think Berger is best suited for development as the backup PG for CC playing the 1&2 positions in the rotation for KM as well. Fever needs a 4 like Salaun or Izzy Harrison and a defensive minded 5 to fill Temi's former role. Just my 2 cents.
Great Commentary.
Why is Erica Wheeler never mentioned as a signed player? This is the third or fourth time she’s been noticeably missing when the Fever roster is mentioned. What did I miss?
@@grb024 she isn’t signed w the team in any contract as of rn. it’s a sad thing to wonder what will happen
Yep Erica Wheeler is a Free Agent and not under contract and not sure Fever are willing to pay her the vet minimum or that she is willing to take vet minimum. She’s a good person and decent player but her play style does not really fit the team anymore.
@@rosalinamerrihue Got it…so she’s kinda in limbo. Not mentioned or considered. But her salary probably affects the team’s $ in some way, no?
@ she was the first or second highest player on the team (KLS was the other), and in there no doubt indy won’t offer her that coming up. her contributions on court compared to her low plus minus don’t bode well. BUT she shiiiiines w her vibe off court. so a lot of peeps are putting the idea of her coming on in some coaching bc aspect. idk what role she’d be or if there anything that can even substantiate this. but indiana is not promoting her so the writing seems it be on the wall? but who knows!
@@rosalinamerrihue She would be so good in a minor coaching role. Maybe not the best coach, but definitely a morale booster and chemistry builder!
I wonder if the fever speaks to Satou for 2026, as we would be giving a lot for a one year contract as there is no way anyone signs for more than one year due to the CBA. But I do think looking at some players from euro league is a good option for us, we may not need the draft picks but using them to then trade their contracts after the cba could be another way. I think we will naturally improve this year and probably make semi-finals of play-offs, we could do more, but I would be happy at semis. New subcriber and enjoyed this video, I hope your channel grows as you have good knowledge.
Dream scenario
I like your break down but I find it hard for them to give up the 8th pick with the talent coming in on this draft now with that been said getting the 5th pick would set there future up and move ab to the power forward spot with domick malonga
I believe foreign who have never been drafted have to come under a rookie contract.
@@jjleeisme thank you for this info!
Mitchel has hinted that she might want to leave. If she's cored then she'll may want to do a sign and trade. If Satou comes to the Fever then I pretty sure Kelsey will want to go. She wants the ball. She wants to be a team leader. Even without Satou I think Mitchel will want to go. That will mean the Fever will have to find a replacement for Mitchel.
I believe foreign players who have never been drafted can come in as a free agent but have to come under a rookie contract.
Grace Berger might want to be traded for a potential starting position this means there's only Wheeler left as backup guard for the rest of the starting guards and I don't see her as a point guard.The fever need at least one if not two guards from the draft or free agency. Iowa/Clark fans have been screaming to get Lucy Olson, who plays point, in Indy, but there should be other options.
Howards stats are good but at 33 can she keep up? She's also expensive at $224,675. Under your plan then the Fever can only afford 2 rookie contracts. Of course if Mitchel leaves then there's more money on the table.
The other thing to remember is that with the expansion draft next year, 2 players will be lost.
Be careful of getting players this year that you don't want to lose next year.
She said it as about business. They said they will give her a max contract and she's got endorsement deals with NIKE and Gatorade and million + contract with the Chinese league as did Smith. Plus her numbers are up because CC is passing to her which makes her a more attractive option. If she does come back, it will be about her family's tragedy. I think she says things that come off a little bit too negative because she's still hurting.
Yes, we want Satou Sabally.
Idk why. You need defense not more offense.💀
No bad blood? You don't think that laughing on camera with her girlfriend about the eye gouge/punch that Carrington did to CC-22 created some degree of bad blood against her that she had her girlfriend's back against her teammate in that? That she chuckled about the roller derby hip check that Chennedy Carter threw on Caitlin for no reason other than CC-22 was there and Carter was apparently at the wrong time of the month? I would say there is bad blood among the players regarding Nalyssa Smith.
Love your no nonsense fact based content!
Nice comment! Seems to me any interesting tikcok gets reposted on X. Your presentation is professional quality and not really suited to a kick streamer platform.
I think this great. Who would have thought 2 years ago that we would have had this much hype from people breaking down WNBA free agency. But here we are
She's a great fit, but I would not trust her injuries... I would not trust Paige's injury history either. To many games....especially with the new league adding games. The league needs to do a better job of protecting its stars.
Great analysis. Happy you moved over here form TikTok. Problem with this kinda "logical" analysis is, that there are some more teams around than the Fever and the Wings and all have plans interacting with each others plans. If for example the Valkyries hire Kelsey Plum from the Aces this could start a very fast roundabout of transfers including Satou.
@@nicolaskorte2183 Oh i know! and w the new. CBA who knows what will happen with 2025. but the fever have a hot iron right now and thinking that striking might be a move they’re thinking of doing.
Are you employed by the Dallas franchise, or are you just stoned? You want Indiana to give up the former 2nd overall pick, an 8th overall pick, a decent rotation player, and a future 1st round pick, all for an often injured player who, while better when healthy, is a question mark on that very issue, her availability? I tell you what. Just to show how stupid that is, let's turn it completely atound. Indiana gives up Nalyssa Smith, a former 2nd overall pick, and Dallas returns a future 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, Satou Sabally, and a bench player that provides depth in their rotation as a young legitimate backup for Clark that can be trained up. I know they have Berger,but I am not certain she's got the wheels to move the offense at the pace they're going to need to move it to compete the way Stephanie wants to run them. How does that sound? Yeah, doesn't sound equitable, does it? Guess what? It sounds just as equitable as your suggestion. I would offer Dallas the 20th pick, and Nalyssa Smith for Sabally. If you want the Fever to give up a future 1st, then they should trade 1st rounders. I personally don't see the need to do that. If Dallas is going to insist on the 8th pick, Indiana should insist on a late 1st or early 2nd to sweeten the pot. They're the ones taking the greater risk after all, with the injury history of Sabally. She's a much better defender than Smith,and more versatile on offense, when healthy, but that's precisely the point, the when healthy part of the equation. I think Indiana should look at signing Janelle Salon. That's going to bring in height, defense, youth, versatility on offense, and a limited hit on their cap space. I think they can sign Kelsey without coring her. Just offer her the max salary she earned over the last 237 years in the league. She's shown she is worth the money. Offer her for four years. Thst virtually takes her to the point where she's likely to retire with the team. Indiana then has a new assistant coach for White's staff. I still keep Berger around,and even keep Wheeler, although she's more suited to shooting guard rather than point where Sides kept playing her. Or you can cut her loose with her high salary. You could even do a cut and resign renegotiation to get her more in the salary area she should have been rather than the overly inflated salary the previous regime had her. Dantas is a keeper and so is Samuelson, although both are bench depth. My setup has the 5 being Sabally, Mitchell, Boston, Clark, and Hull. Hull may be a fan favorite, but she's clearly earned her spot in the starting 5. 1st off the bench would be Salon who will spell Boston, Sabally, and Hull. Dantas can also give you minutes in the bigs game. Samuelson is 8th in the rotation. You still would have Berger as your depth at point unless you manage to find a better option. I keep Wheeler as insurance on Kelsey needing a breather. That is 10 of the 12 spots. Then you use the draft for depth, say a big, and a hybrid point/shooting guard to develop entirely in the Stephenie White mold. There's your 12.
She is going to the Aces.
I believe that all that the Fever needs at max contract is just Mitchell and a solid power forward that's good at defense and rebounding, decent scorer. And better off the bench players..
Cuz I believe CC will be better and make her teammates alot better with another year under her belt...
I Believe with CC they don't need a lot of high paid players just solid players..
(My opinion)
Here's another possible scenario for the Fever:
Keep Lexie Hull, she's on a rookie deal and will likely not cost the team an arm and a leg to resign once that deal is up. Instead: Trade Kelsey Mitchell to the Mystics for Ariel Atkins and the #6 pick.
Trade Nalyssa Smith + Christy Wallace, + #6 for Satou Sabally.
Pick up another big in free agency to fill Fagbenle's spot on the roster. Or use their #8 pick for one. Westbeld might be available at 8, or draft n stash Sivka. Resign Wheeler to half of her 2024 salary. She's pretty much Kelsey Mitchell light in my opinion,a and a good locker room gal besides.
Roster would look as such
PG Clark, Wheeler
SG Atkins, Berger
SF Hull, Samuelson, Saxton
PF Satally, FA (Nneke, Howard, Saloun all possible choices)
C Boston, Dantas
+ whoever the Fever landed at #8 unless its a draft n stash
I think I like this scenario as much as any I have seen. From what I have read and seen (if it is all true) KM doesn't seem like she can take the pressure of playing for the Fever. I think she wants out. No hard feelings she is a very good player and person. I can understand where she is coming from. The pressure to win in 2025 is going to be 2x as bad as it was in 2024. My only question is would these new players be able to handle the pressure? The only one I feel confident in would be Satou. She seems like a savvy player who understands the benefits of playing with CC.
@@Fizz8111Mitchell needs to b let go. Even if they force her this year she will pull this next year. She doesn't like being n Clark's shadows
@@Fizz8111Atkins is a lockdown defender and seasoned pro with a couple finals appearances, all star showings and all defensive first teams. She's a year or so younger than Mitchell and is a much more rounded player than Kelsey averaging more rebounds, assists, and steals. I just think the Fever would be much better defensively with her starting rather than Mitchell. I'm just not sure the Mystics would give up their #6 pick unless the Fever include their #8. In which case the Fever would not be getting their first round pick. However just the thought of seeing Satally + Atkins in the starting lineup is enough to give me shivers and if they can also sign a big time FA like Saloun they can have the option of running their version of a Liberty big lineup with Satally at the 3 and Hull backing her up.
And here's the other thing, playing alongside Caitlin Clark will free up Atkins' offensive game just as it did Kelsey's. So I would expect her average ppg to jump from 15 to 18
, which would be equal to Mitchell's 2024 production. Plus the Fever get a better passer, better defender, and better rebounder. Her paired with Clark would be really solid in my opinion and allow the Fever to get by with a more perimeter oriented finesse big like Satally. If you want to add a finesse player like Satally you need to get a derensive ace like Atkins (only player similar is Jackie Young and she's not leaving LV).
@@christopherkohl6511 that's a great scenario and probably would work well but thing is the Fever front office r hell bent on keeping Mitchell because mid-season her and Clark had chemistry. Mitchell wants out. I say she checked out mentally during the playoffs. Hope their plans don't backfire and cost them a legitimate run to the finals.
What’s a UFA?
Paige is not all that
If possible why not sign and trade Mitchell to the Mystics for the lockdown defender Ariel Atkins and their #6 pick, the Clark/Mitchell backcourt is just too weak defensively the time to trade Mitchell is NOW in my opinion while she is way over valued. Locking her into a multi year max contract will hamper the Fever's ability to get better for years and years.
I don't think that any player will sign a multi-year contract this year.
@@franks9432I meant she'll likely never leave if the Fever don't move her on this year. She'll sign a long term max deal after 2025 and the Fever will be stuck with her for years and years just like they got stuck with Wheeler's gargantuan contract. I like parts of Kelsey's game but not for the max money. She's extremely undersized for a SG and one dimensional, and a volume shooter at that. The Fever could do much better than her for less money.
@@christopherkohl6511 The entire management team has changed. My expectation is that they won't make those same mistakes.
I’m in the minority right now, but I’m not sure that I want to this year. I don’t think that even with her, the Fever would challenge for a championship, and it’s just a one-year rental anyways.
I keep trying to tell Indy fans this but they don't want to hear it 🤷
#20 draft pick isn't in the first round.
I hope so
Berger is your only backup as a point guard.
Wheeler is there backup point guard
@impartialreview-r7f Wheeler is the backup at point because she had a history with Sides. She's not a natural point guard. Berger is, and should have been Caitlin's backup last year. You really should pay attention more. You should also learn the English language better if you are going to use a screen name like that.
@@heinleinreader I agree. Without Sides the Fever are going to win a lot more games this year and Wheeler frees up a lot of $ for the Fever.
@@impartialreview-r7f They could free up a whole lot of money if they trade Nalyssa Smith and Wheeler for Sabally, then sign Janelle Salaun. Salaun moves to 6th in the rotation and Sabally fills the starter role Smith did. Salaun becomes their insurance for Sabally getting injured. I have checked. The Fever has almost $700,000 in cap space left. That's a whole lot. Even at a max deal, Kelsey Mitchell won't run them more than $275,000 of that. Sabally shouldn't be more than $215,000. So they have about $200,000 for Salaun and any rookie contracts. They have two slots to fill if all works out as I suggested. You can add to that $200,000 the amount that Smith and Wheeler were making. That easily takes them back to over $400,000 in cap space. They can afford one more name for depth. Make it a veteran on a one year deal for say $150,000, and you still have around $250,000 for your rookies. Now, here's the rub. If Sabally's team insists on a first round pick, Indiana has 2 of them. Offer them the 20th pick. If they insist on the 8th pick, tell them it will cost them a pick in return, either a late 1st round or early 2nd round pick. Use the other 1st round and the 2nd round pick to draft a big and a hybrid point/shooting guard for depth. With Berger, Samuelson, and Saxton that makes 11 roster spots with over $100,000 still left in the coffers. You can draft someone else or chase some help in free agency. If it comes down to it, Samuelson is probably an option for release. She can easily be replaced. I would prefer to keep her if possible for veteran leadership if nothing else. That's just how I see it. If Sabally falls off the table, then there are other options. But that is the best roster I see available. Those are upgrades across the board. The biggest upgrade was replacing Sides with Stephanie White.
Satou Sabally, Arike, and Paige Bueckers are going to take the Wings to the playoffs this year.
JMHO---Go all out to get Sabally to replace Temi that they let get away, then do the best you can do with the other two spots. Too bad we couldn't have had Temi and Sabally both on the same team, but......
The Big question is will the League continue Cheating and Abusing Clark. Will Indiana Organization Not undermine Caitlin like last year. She should never come back. Having said that with the Coach actually trying to Win and any good players added. Indiana definitely Could Win the Championship.
Satou wants a championship and wants to play with Caitlin Clark. Core/sign and trade.
😆😆😆
SS is an unrestricted free agent after her 1 year contract end last 2024 season .She played with Dallas for 3 years during her rookie years so she can sign with Fever without any restriction with Dallas No trade is required . Fever can sign her with max contract at 250k still able to retain N Smith .Fever need 2 Nos Power Forward
With Salary Cap Space of 657K , There is still 157K left after resigned Kelsey Michell , Fever can still use their 1st Round Draft NO.8 pick either Sonia Citron then in the 2nd round Ajsa Sivka of Solvenia a SG/ SF at 6'4" for 140K - 145 K for two draft picks that will allow them to have reserve player
That is why Dallas will core Satou. No way they let her walk for nothing in return.
Please wake up from your fantasy...this is why people feel the way they do about the "new" Fever fans🙄
Good video, very good actually. If you next one is good too, i sub then.
I have a weird feeling fans are not going to be happy if they keep Smith. She’s not a bad player at all, look at her history. She was coached under Kim Mulkey at Baylor before she moved to LSU and was an impact player. She was #2 overall draft pick and won Athletes Unlimited a couple years ago. She’s tall, and still on her rookie contract. I think she just needs better coaching and training. She’s not worth enough to just ditch so easily.
Satou is awesome but an injury risk. It would be a shame to give up that 8th pick for her when we have such a strong draft class in 2025. But maybe they can make the trade happen somehow.
We don’t need to see Saxton, Wallace, or Wheeler on the team. All wonderful ladies so it’s nothing personal, they just aren’t contributing enough and aren’t clutch off the bench when given chances.
Katie Lou is another near max contract player but is still on contract. I’d love to see if the Fever can get her mind right and back to her previous form. She’s a big and a former UCONN player so she’s no slouch. She just had a down year after her baby was born.
Mitchell should only be cored if she wants to be there. She was drafted to the Fever (just after A’ja Wilson) and as good as she is, her team never made the playoffs all these years. We’ve seen great chemistry between her and Caitlin and I’m not sure she will have the same impact playing for another team. Caitlin, AB, and KM have a special thing going and it would be nice to see that continue at least for another year.
Lexie Hull is a fan favorite. She’s a great player but may be relegated to the bench if the Fever grab some veteran starters. It’s going to be interesting to see what the staff can come up with for the team in 2025. They have the core, they just need to build around it, focusing on defense and a player that can take some attention away from Caitlin which will leave her more open compared to 2024 when we saw teams just swarm around her.
Katie wasn't good before the baby. 5 teams since UConn isn't good. Dunn really hurt the Fever with her contract. She may b nice and all but she contributes nothing. This will b her last year with the Fever and probably last year playing as I don't see her being picked up by another team as she's been passed around.
The lowest I could see Lexie falling in the rotation is 6th. If you trade Smith and bring in Sabally, Lexie is still in your top 5. Katie Lou, even if she regains some of her form from pre-baby would have to earn her way back up the rotation. As for the others, Wheeler is your only current protection for Caitlin at point, right? Dantes is right now the 6. You're looking at her and Samuelson as definitely keepers. That's 7 of the 9 currently under contract. Add in Wheeler and that's 8 of 9. Also, if I were sending Smith with a 1st round pick, I would consider the 20th pick initially rather than the 8th. That gives you some room to negotiate. If they want the 8th pick, let them pony up a pick of their own, say a very early 2nd or late 1st. I also like the idea of Janelle Salon, who you could likely get relatively cheaply. She's young, versatile, is accustomed to a faster paced playing style, and can play and defend all 5 positions.
@@ericMT I agree, don't re-sign Wheeler. Waive Wallace. Both were personal friends of Christie Sides, and neither played particularly well. We need a clean break from the Sides poor decision making.
For Saxton, Coach White should evaluate whether she could be worth keeping if development effort were invested in her.
NaLyssa was very inconsistent this past season. When she's motivated, she shows us why she was the #2 pick. But when she's moody, she half-asses it. She can play well, but can she bring the passion and be consistent? I'm skeptical. Can she bring the thunder against her girlfriend's team? I'm skeptical.
I too am concerned about Satou's history of injuries.
Fever needs to keep Grace Berger and develop her to be the backup for Caitlin and Kelsey. She's balling out in Turkey, so she'll come back in shape and fresh on her skills. Have the player development coach work with her, and give her meaningful minutes in every game.
@@karencarlisle2887 Lin Dunn was clearly a poor GM, in many ways. Hiring Katie Lou to a guaranteed 2 year max contract is a classic example of how stupid Dunn is.
I don't see any team being willing to take Katie Lou with her poor record and her huge salary in a trade. I fear Fever is stuck with her one more year.
Since Fever is stuck with her one more year, I can only hope Katie Lou has been working on her game during this off season. I hope she was embarrassed enough by her performance last year to put in the effort. If she has gotten fit, then Unrivaled will help her polish up her shooting, passing, defense, etc. Even so, I think Fever won't be getting much value from the $180,000 that they're paying her.
@JE-IC one difference I like is that Coach White won't keep playing her like Sides did. Sides kept pushing her until she couldn't justify it any longer. Unfortunately Fever have to pay her either way. Think Wallace has another year as well. Don't see either of them getting off bench much but if anyone can improve them it's Coach White.
Is 'fattening' up Indy's roster with players you'll want to stick around prior to the two team expansion draft next December kind of .. IDK... wasted effort and $ at this point?
This year, coring doesn’t seem so bad because anybody who signs as a free agent will sign for one year because of the collective bargaining negations after this year.