The Indiana Fever released guard Aari McDonald on Friday, per the WNBA transactions page. The Fever explained the reasoning behind releasing McDonald while announcing the move on X (formerly Twitter).
"To meet the 10-player roster minimum and WNBA emergency hardship exception requirements," the team wrote.
With players such as Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark returning from injury soon, the Fever had to release McDonald, who had been signed via the hardship exception.
McDonald, 26, played well in three games with Indiana, averaging 11.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 rebounds per game. She also shot 42.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
A player who has been in the WNBA since 2021, McDonald is expected by many to land another contract elsewhere. In fact, even Fever head coach Stephanie White is confident that McDonald will draw the interest of other teams around the WNBA.
"She's gonna find a spot," White said on Friday, via Chloe Peterson. "I don't think that's a debate right now. She's been the ultimate pro. She came in ready to go."
The Fever are obviously excited about the returns of Clark and Cunningham. Still, one has to imagine that Indiana would have preferred to have kept McDonald on the roster. If they had the choice, the Fever may have decided to release someone else. Since she was signed via a hardship exception, though, McDonald had to be released.
Which teams may display interest in Aari McDonald in WNBA free agency?
A number of teams make sense as possible landing spots for the 26-year-old guard. Perhaps a team such as the Chicago Sky or Dallas Wings will reach out. She is a realistic fit for at least five teams in the league, and one could argue there are even more potential suitors.
It would be incredibly surprising to see McDonald still in free agency a couple of weeks from Friday. She should instantly draw interest, especially with a number of teams currently short-handed due to many players attending EuroBasket.
McDonald's free agency will be interesting to follow. She could even factor into a team's long-term plays given her potential and ability to lead an offense.
As for the Fever, Indiana is set to host the defending champion New York Liberty at 3 PM EST on Saturday afternoon. With Clark set to return, the Fever are hoping to pull off the upset at home.