Being a Fever fan hasn’t always been fun, but it’s sure been great these past few seasons. Since drafting Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark with back-to-back number-one picks, the Fever have steadily been trending up.
Last season, they went all the way to the semifinals despite losing several players to season-ending injuries. Considering the success the roster found, the Fever will have to make some difficult decisions in the expansion draft and free agency. Clark, Boston, and Makayla Timpson are the only players under contract. So, the front office will have to figure out what to do with Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, Damiris Dantas, Sydney Colson, Brianna Turner, Aari McDonald, and Odyssey Sims. Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull are also free agents, but both are pretty sure to sign a new deal with the Fever.
Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston just gave the front office a reason to keep McDonald around. The duo appeared on Aari & Rachel Unfiltered, a new podcast that the two guards started during the Unrivaled season.
When talking about the Fever’s injury-ridden but surprisingly successful 2025 season, Mitchell said, “When Aari and them came this past season, that was random, and once Aari started playing with us, we were like, ‘Yeah, she can’t stop playing with us.’”
Boston quickly agreed. While the organization shouldn’t base all of its decisions on its stars’ wishes, keeping them happy definitely can’t hurt. Signing McDonald seems to be something that would make Mitchell and Boston happy.
Aari McDonald was great for the Fever
McDonald joined the Fever to fill in for Caitlin Clark, who struggled with injuries all season long. The five-year vet fit into the Fever’s system seamlessly. She brought speed, rim pressure, strong perimeter defense, and plenty of assists.
The bad thing: McDonald joined the Fever’s growing list of season-ending injuries after just 20 games. Odyssey Sims joined the team in the wake of McDonald’s injury and filled in admirably, averaging 14.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals during the Fever’s playoff run. She also proved that she could be an impactful player for the Fever as they try to build on their 2025 success.
With a starting backcourt of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell firmly in place, the Fever just need to figure out who they want as the team’s backup point guard. Sims and Colson are very experienced players and have many playoff games under their belts. McDonald, on the other hand, fits the Fever’s timeline better and played very well before her injury.
Other teams undoubtedly also noticed McDonald’s contributions, though, and that could be a problem for the Fever. This free agency period promises a lot of player movement and many revamped rosters. McDonald, along with several other Fever free agents could be in high demand.