The Fever’s start to the season has been tumultuous. First, Indiana got a major statement victory over the Chicago Sky, then they lost a tough game to the Atlanta Dream and finally bounced back to beat Rhyne Howard, Brittney Griner, Brionna Jones, and company.
While all three of the Fever’s games went very differently, there has been one common factor, especially in the last two games: DeWanna Bonner’s lack of impact. Bonner was the Fever’s major offseason addition and the piece expected to propel them toward contention.
And yet, it has not looked that way to start the season. Bonner only scored a total of eight points over three games and hasn’t been a major factor in the Fever’s offense. Stephenie White even turned to Lexie Hull to close the games against Atlanta in the veteran’s place.
What seemed to be simply one bad game against a much-improved Atlanta team now looks like a concerning trend the Fever need to put a stop to.
Bonner didn’t close the last two games
Lexie Hull had a breakout season last year, upping her 3-point percentage and thriving next to Caitlin Clark. Nevertheless, many Fever fans felt that the team needed an upgrade over the young wing to seriously compete with the top teams in the league. DeWanna Bonner was supposed to be that upgrade. And yet, Hull has been more trustworthy to close games early in the season.
Generally, giving Hull some of Bonner’s minutes is not a bad move on Stephanie White’s part. After all, Bonner is already 37 years old, and the Fever shouldn’t overtax her when the playoffs are still far away.
Nevertheless, it is concerning that White doesn’t feel like she can have Bonner on the court to finish close games. In the first game against the Dream, White closed with the starters but swapped Bonner out for Hull. Bonner only came back into the game with 21 seconds left to replace Caitlin Clark for a defensive possession. She was subbed out again for the last offensive possession.
The next game, Bonner was again not on the court to close the game. She played only 19 minutes, scored one point on 0-2 shooting from the field, and also didn’t come in as a defensive sub late in th. Bonner’s lack of offensive involvement is almost as concerning as the fact that White doesn’t feel comfortable closing games with her at the moment.
While it is great to see Lexie Hull gearing up for another good season in Indiana, the Fever shouldn’t have to rely on her to deliver when it matters the most—not after signing one of the most sought-after free agents to help boost the team’s chances in the playoffs and making her the third-highest paid player on the team. This is not to say that Bonner absolutely has to close every competitive game. Rather, the coaching staff and her teammates need to know that they can trust the veteran to be impactful in high-pressure situations. That is part of the reason they signed her.
Bonner needs to be involved offensively and prove she can help the Fever win close games, especially when it is time for the Fever to face contenders such as New York, Minnesota, or Las Vegas. In those games, Bonner’s experience could be the key to proper late-game execution. Fortunately, there is still plenty of time in the season for her to do that.