Sofie is an upgrade over Hull. Natasha is an upgrade over Nalyssa, Stephanie is an upgrade over Sides. The Fever are going deeper into the playoffs this season.
@@a2knycyep and Dantas is getting in shape and I expect the same of Katie Lou. Can we all just be honest? Sides kept them from a finals run LAST year. They could have done nothing but get innshape and ready to play CC basketball and they'd be at least in the finals. Getting rid of the cancer is the 2nd best thing they did.
@@gen-xboomerthey could of had Phil Jackson or Popovich as coach last year and they still wouldn’t of sniffed the finals lol. They just didn’t have the talent or experience.
Yeah, in no way is this a bad deal. Go look up the #8 picks for the last 10 drafts. You've got 3 players that arguably became better than Sophie Cunningham, right now, (Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams, and Bri Jones) and then a whole lot of nothing. And none of those players were near the production Cunningham will add in year 1. Like, if a rookie put up the numbers Cunningham had last year, they're rookie of the year in ~9/10 classes. If you're heading into a series of expansion drafts and may only be able to effectively protect six deep, you REALLY have to be sure that your draft pick is going to pan out if the alternative is win now. I'd say if the Fever had number three in this draft, this is a bad pic because they could have always looked overseas for a player of Sophie's caliber and maybe gotten close to finding one. But that second half of the first round is going to be purely developmental picks in the best case.
I can see Sophie Cunningham becoming a long-term player for the Fever. She will always turn up and compete. She will always put the team first. She won't let outside distractions effect her on-court performances, and she will make a high percentage of her FGs and FTs. So, the complete opposite of NaLyssa Smith. I am really happy about Sophie Cunningham signing with the Fever.
Great pickup for the Fever! Sophie is a terrific team player and shoot the 3 and run the court so well. CC is going to love playing with her as she will make the Fever a better team. It hard for me to believe that Sophie only makes $100,000 in salary at this point in her career. I do not think that this will take away from Lexie as she can learn a lot from Sophie basketball knowledge.
Cunningham is a scrapper and an enforcer. And she spoke highly of Clark when it was not popular to do it. And she’s a good player. Add all of that together, this is a good trade.
@@dorothybianchi1149 Keith Porter is about to put them through boot camp. Reality is coming for the new Fever players, and the old ones that are still around. The Fever is not messing around anymore.
Just watched an 1 hour interview with Sophie and boy... this lady ist a beyond perfect fit. She said very positive things about CC when it was cool to hate on her, she is very smart and a very grounded and humble person. Plus.... competetive like crazy. She and CC will punch through walls this year. Im hype, she is bff material for clark
Yeah she’s probably been Caitlin’s biggest supporter as a player not on the Fever or a former teammate. I’m not sure why so many veteran players don’t get it but she gets it. It’s going to be a fun season.
the fever brass are taking the big-picture approach to free agency. instead of giving up nalyssa smith and the no. 8 pick for satou sabally, they acquire natasha howard and sophie cunningham and have cap space to sign a mid-to-upper tier free agent. smart moves
Defend her doing what?? Ain't nobody gonna start a fight and get kicked out of a game fined for Clark y'all need to shut the hell about All this enforcer crap these players don't make that much money to be suspended
The Fever do not need any first round picks this time. They need seasoned bigs, with CC and KM in the backcourt and AB in the paint they are good. Grace is better than a first round.
Love the moves the Fever are making. I can see their vision of what they wanna do but please god please stay away from Dewanna Bonner!! We don’t need another Nalyssa Smith situation!!
Well they just signed somebody who’s GF said something about Caitlin, I don’t think you can avoid it much in the league. Bonner can play, I’d take her because she’s going to ball and her and Stephanie already have chemistry so it would be fine.
Sophie Cunningham and Lexi Hull will be the blonde goddess bookends and enforcers of the WNBA. And the Fever will be much better team with the current batch of players they have than last year because Christie Sides is no longer the coach, who nothing about how to win a basketball game, held many of her players back (including Clark) and had had a high school understanding of how to coach players to play defense.
They had to get rid of Nalyssa Smith. Sophie Cunningham is an absolute steal at $100K. One more PF/C and they are set. Really, if Howard was a little younger, they would have that covered too. Katy Lou can play 4. I guess Dantas is the other backup right now.
No one really knows how all these changes will affect next season, but on paper they look fantastic. New coach, retained Kelsey, got Natasha Howard and Sophie. I just hope Fever management doesn't stand pat and be satisfied. Work on deals all the way up to the trade deadline. Never stop improving.
Looking into this more. Sophie is a bit of an enforcer. She brings some attitude. I like it. Her off ball movement seems good. She runs well. Good spot shooter. Seems like a really good fit.
Another cheer for Grace Berger. I just appreciate the way she does her work. I’m hoping that she & Caitlin trade notes .. and, some of what Caitlin is, .. is a result of her having the nose to the grindstone practicing, as much as she has, and there’s no substituting for that. But anyway, .. IF there wouldn’t be a shift from fast break, opportunistic type of offense, WITHOUT Caitlin .. that would be huge, .. and that’s where Grace matters. Sophie, .. it's nice to see you as a Fever.
@@DavidStewart-v5e Grace did pretty well for the Indiana Hoosiers, (she can be a force) but yeah .. that was, then .. and some wishful thinking, on my part .. there's only room, for a few players, after college.
Cunningham is a 3&D player that can play shooting guard or small forward which is great. The Fever need to sign Malonga or Meesseman for power forward/center.
@DimitryMatos I'd love it if the Fever signed Salaun. But my first choices are Malonga & Meesseman because they are tall and versatile power forward/center's which is what Indiana needs.
An underrated point of this trade: trading away a toxic/distraction for a person who is especially pro-CC should set a tone for the other players. No matter how talented you are you will be traded/released if you are a distraction and not bought in to the Fever's vision. It is a great leadership move.
Kelly Krauskopf is so smart. Best move the Fever made that started it all. She knows they are in WIN NOW mode, so she focused on players who have proven value, rather than betting on an unproven commodity from the draft. So smart. Howard & Cunningham are perfect fits. I see that ring. 🥳
Fever sign Elena Delle Donne to come off the bench for Howard and Boston. She doesn't want to start and wants to play for the vet minimum. I heard it from a source.
I hope Howard and Cunningham are ready to receive those CC passes. If they can't handle it, this coming season will be a learning curve for all the new additions to the Fever.
Sophie & Hull will have so much fun together, even though they compete for the same position. Neither will take it personally, and the stronger of the two will take start for the night based on who’s risen higher to the top. Regarding Phoenix…don’t want to ruffle any feathers with Phoenix fans, but I wonder how well they will gel in the locker room. Satou acts entitled and Alyssa Thomas won’t put up with that sht. They might face some culture/chemistry challenges. We’ll see how that plays out.
@karencarlisle2887 People are saying I’m trying to spin it, but it makes more sense to me that it was the other way around. Fever had other plans. Think she would have loved to come to Fever, but that wasn’t on the table as everyone thought. She had to start talking “facilities” to save face.
@@grb024 everything she listed as priorities we had and the Fever r about taking care of their players. Gonna have a great new training facility. The one they have now isn't bad as CT or Dallas. I kinda think the Fever wanted her but she didn't want to. She was just too nice to b ugly about it.
@karencarlisle2887 I think they originally were thinking about it, but the cost was too high. This would have been their only move. Just not enough to fill out this team. Kelly is too smart for that. They’ve been talking veterans since day 1, and they know they needed defense. I think Kelly & Amber are too professional to tip their hand, because it would’ve hurt SS’s stock.
Fever can always go in the season with 11 players. They have enough money to bring in a role player. This draft is not stacked. There are 3 maybe 4 starters. Plus you have a couple Euros who are two years away that will get drafted. I do think Kelly has a player in mind. Maybe a Euro role player. Today they can start signing.
Acquiring Sophie was a good move. The Fever added depth to their guards and solved the NS situation for 10k and the 8th and kept the door open to a Euro. The 8th would have been a roll of the dice and more expensive. Sophie is not a gamble and a deal. This with getting Natasha and a new coach is a major advance to what the Fever had at the end of last year. Next year they will have Katie Lou's salary to do more.
I like the trade for Cunningham, didn't like that they gave up the 8 pick for her but after some thought, it made perfect sense, Indiana wants to win and can't with another rookie on the bench, tying up money. A player that I feel would work well for Indiana and be a great off the bench player would be Isabelle Harrison, she is a free agent, had a contract for 160k, I feel she would sign for 125k due to no one is talking about her. Her numbers at Chicago were not all that bad for a bench player and she is a Forward that could fit into Clark's offense.
If anyone is upset about losing the 8th overall pick, check out who was picked 8th the last few years. No one significant. Sure we saw Reese and Grace Berger at 7 and those have been good picks but I’d take Sophie over some unknown college player if there is a choice. I hate giving up draft picks but in this case I think it worked out ok.
Given she has done it in the past I wouldn't rule out her ultimately giving the Fever a discount in the future with the added exposure she will get playing for the Fever. There is definitely very real and significant financial value in that for some players.
I would run with 11 and see how it goes and leave that 12th spot open to sign someone after the season starts, there are always tons of players and draft picks that get let go or unsigned, besides you don't really know what's working and whats not until working it.
I wish we had seen more of Saxton last year, still don’t know what she can do. Can she backup Boston and also play power forward if needed, or do we cut her and save her $60,000 salary to use on signing a backup center/power forward? If we keep her, do we fill our last roster spot with another backup big, or do we sign a combo guard that can play the point? Can we talk a team into trading a big in exchange for a combination of the 19th pick plus Wallace and Saxton? Right now, the decision to cut Celeste Taylor looks even worse.
Sorry. The 8th pick is absolutely more important. If they want a back-up PG, draft Sundell in the 2nd round, she's CC junior, and no more or less proven than Berger. And Mick, what happened to drafting Sivka. She's far better than Dantas, even at only 19. She'll be on a rookie contract, so it won't be one and done. Ditch Wallace for sure, Saxton maybe. Try to get Milic if you want experience. Trade one of the 2nd round picks and Dantas, Wallace and/or Saxton to move up and see if you can get Westbeld. Sundell and Westbeld fit, and could evolve into solid contributors.
The draft have some good picks, but not all will fulfill their role like CC did. The mindset overall will not welcome the rookies like the Fever did. Fever have vets now who will compliment our total team- just watch us go!!
A slight upgrade to Lexie Hull. This transaction is a yawner for me. I see the Fever as totally set at guard and forward. I would like to see a really tall center {6' 6" or more) and move Boston to PF. Lexie Hull is a 3rd year player and I think she will continue to improve. So this move is a bit of a puzzle for me. I guess it is a money move. The move for Natasha was a great move. This one, not so much, as I see it.
The expansion drafts will be interesting. I don't see why they are expanding so fast tbh. who asked for a team in toronto? we got portland coming... now they're talking about detroit trying to get a team back?? they barely care about the pistons these days. I guess you better not fall too in love with your rosters because expansion drafts are looking like a regular thing in the future...
There's talk amongst Podcaster and Lobo (ESPN)....Bonner from Suns would be a good Free Agent Signing. My thoughts: Another Big who can shoot and play defense. Thoughts???
Sophie is indeed an upgrade over Hull, and Natasha over NaLyssa. But all of this post-trade rationalization for why they needed to trade the 8th pick doesn't make sense Yes, Aneesa Morrow another players may now be there at 8, but they also could be there at 8, and 8 can be a minimum salary player to replace Saxton or Wallace. Overall, I'm happy with what the Fever have done, but the rationalization is not needed.
Saxton will make less money than that #8 pick. Wallace can always be cut for a pick in the second round like Rayah Marshall or some international vet min. That 8 pick would be making near 80k or close to it at this rate.
My assumption at this point is that they already have someone in mind, or even lined up, that they feel would contribute more this year than who will be available at #8.
@@aden538 Probably true. But then get#8 and this person, as it may be awhile before they have a #8 pick again. In any event, Sophie is a good fit, and I look forward to seeing what else they (possibly) do, and to the season.
Jesus christ dude. you and the rest of the damn media. before howard yall kept saying they are one piece away. now they sign Cunningham who is an amazing defender and baller yet they are still one piece away.....HOW MANY MORE TIME ARE ALL YALL GONNA MOVE THE DAMN GOAL POSTS???
Yeah right I believe the staff was pressured to get rid of her immediately by everyone they should of sent her to Dennis Rodman team the Connecticut Sun 🌞
When will the Indiana Fever get all these new players into a practice facility with Caitlin? Will all these players work as hard as Caitlin? I'm hoping they jell quickly. I'm nervous about personalities, we'll see
Great . SC is an enforcer. She’s even a blackbelt in karate. She loves CC and really wants to play with her………blah, blah, blah…but unfortunately only a mediocre basketball player. She runs around a lot but doesn’t score much - less than 8 ppg. Overrated. Getting rid of NS was okay but not worth the #8 pick. There’s lots of good players available at #8.
The 8th pick was worth more than Sophie period! Mick just stop with your misdirection & BS lip service about Grace who had not proved she can even play in the W. Her bringing a potential bust has nothing to do with this conversation. I told you for weeks the Fever don’t need their draft picks but had as usual you have completely flip flopped again after something happens. You were screaming their draft picks are gold don’t trade them for Satou so just stop you’re a big fraud dude. 😂 I’m also not stupid they should have been able to get Sophie for Smith straight up period! They are similar players. This was bad trade by the Fever period! This was a very strange trade & Kurt Miller fleeced both PHX & Indy. He got two 2 starters, a potential future player, & the 8th pick in this year’s draft for a one year rental in Satou. These W GM lack negotiation skills this crazy. Fever fans should be asking the question why was Smith & 8th pick that not enough to Satou ? & if she did not want to come to Indy that’s a major concern going forward if top FA & players don’t won’t to come to Indy. Signing Howard proves nothing because she’s a mid level FA & if they had to overpay it’s really bad because she’s is not a max players so what they are paying her is important. Forget all the Pom-Pom waving a cheering by most Fever Fan & these RUclipsrs. Indy is only slightly better than last year & still not a true title contender. They upgraded Smith & Lexies positions so they did good but it’s not great like I thought they should have been able to do. If they could have secured Satou they would be title favorites do bid questions is why? I hope we find out because it’s very important to know if was her or Indy did not want her. This has me very concerned for CC’s & Indy’s potential to attract top FA in the future staring in ‘26. This is not college CC needs talent to win championships not avg players that she will make better. At the end of the day talent will always come out on top.
Number one Howard is not the player she was in Seattle. She’s on the downside of her career. Of course Smith had to go. Cunningham and Hull similar players, that’s not necessarily bad. I’m not sure Howard can be like Smith we’ll see.
Sofie is an upgrade over Hull. Natasha is an upgrade over Nalyssa, Stephanie is an upgrade over Sides. The Fever are going deeper into the playoffs this season.
100%. Barring serious injuries to key Fever players, Caitlin Clark especially.
Clark and Hull 2025 are also going to be huge upgrades over 2024 Clark and Hull.
@@a2knycyep and Dantas is getting in shape and I expect the same of Katie Lou. Can we all just be honest? Sides kept them from a finals run LAST year. They could have done nothing but get innshape and ready to play CC basketball and they'd be at least in the finals. Getting rid of the cancer is the 2nd best thing they did.
@@gen-xboomerthey could of had Phil Jackson or Popovich as coach last year and they still wouldn’t of sniffed the finals lol. They just didn’t have the talent or experience.
Yeah, in no way is this a bad deal. Go look up the #8 picks for the last 10 drafts. You've got 3 players that arguably became better than Sophie Cunningham, right now, (Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams, and Bri Jones) and then a whole lot of nothing. And none of those players were near the production Cunningham will add in year 1. Like, if a rookie put up the numbers Cunningham had last year, they're rookie of the year in ~9/10 classes. If you're heading into a series of expansion drafts and may only be able to effectively protect six deep, you REALLY have to be sure that your draft pick is going to pan out if the alternative is win now. I'd say if the Fever had number three in this draft, this is a bad pic because they could have always looked overseas for a player of Sophie's caliber and maybe gotten close to finding one. But that second half of the first round is going to be purely developmental picks in the best case.
I can see Sophie Cunningham becoming a long-term player for the Fever. She will always turn up and compete. She will always put the team first. She won't let outside distractions effect her on-court performances, and she will make a high percentage of her FGs and FTs. So, the complete opposite of NaLyssa Smith. I am really happy about Sophie Cunningham signing with the Fever.
Great pickup for the Fever! Sophie is a terrific team player and shoot the 3 and run the court so well. CC is going to love playing with her as she will make the Fever a better team. It hard for me to believe that Sophie only makes $100,000 in salary at this point in her career. I do not think that this will take away from Lexie as she can learn a lot from Sophie basketball knowledge.
Cunningham is a scrapper and an enforcer. And she spoke highly of Clark when it was not popular to do it. And she’s a good player. Add all of that together, this is a good trade.
You know she's not going to just stand around when Clark gets hit.
@ exactly. Watch her highlights. She’s not afraid at all.
They got rid of smith!! That in itself is huge.
@jodieicher9592 Addition by subtraction!
CC is going to start this season with 4 people on the court with her who can catch and shoot the ball. That is going to be huge.
Let's get Howard and Sophie in the gym so used to CC passes...don't want any fumbles to start the season.
@@dorothybianchi1149 Keith Porter is about to put them through boot camp. Reality is coming for the new Fever players, and the old ones that are still around. The Fever is not messing around anymore.
Just watched an 1 hour interview with Sophie and boy... this lady ist a beyond perfect fit. She said very positive things about CC when it was cool to hate on her, she is very smart and a very grounded and humble person. Plus.... competetive like crazy. She and CC will punch through walls this year. Im hype, she is bff material for clark
Wow...I sure hope you are right! I don't know what interview you watched but am glad you did. Thanks for the post.
BFF Material is a long stretch.
Yeah she’s probably been Caitlin’s biggest supporter as a player not on the Fever or a former teammate. I’m not sure why so many veteran players don’t get it but she gets it. It’s going to be a fun season.
the fever brass are taking the big-picture approach to free agency. instead of giving up nalyssa smith and the no. 8 pick for satou sabally, they acquire natasha howard and sophie cunningham and have cap space to sign a mid-to-upper tier free agent. smart moves
Sophie is a good fit. She will defend Caitlyn. I've followed her since her time at Missouri.
Caitlin
Wow...that's REALLY GREAT NEWS!!!!
Defend her doing what?? Ain't nobody gonna start a fight and get kicked out of a game fined for Clark y'all need to shut the hell about All this enforcer crap these players don't make that much money to be suspended
The Fever do not need any first round picks this time. They need seasoned bigs, with CC and KM in the backcourt and AB in the paint they are good. Grace is better than a first round.
Samuelson needs to step up to be worth her contract. Dunn and sides made some really strange additions including wheeler and wallace.
I think (hope) Samuelson will bounce back now that she is a year further away from giving birth.
She was bad before the baby. Don't expect much but for her I hope she improves because she needs to show her next team she's worth a shot.
Now we have sexy Lexie and sexy Sophie! Both are ballers, the right kind of Barbie.
Catlin collects blondes, Ellana Della Donne, or Mesamon's next, lol butchered that spelling, but you can see where we're going.
Love the moves the Fever are making. I can see their vision of what they wanna do but please god please stay away from Dewanna Bonner!! We don’t need another Nalyssa Smith situation!!
@@RunItUp478 i heard DB dont-wanna-boner.
Well they just signed somebody who’s GF said something about Caitlin, I don’t think you can avoid it much in the league. Bonner can play, I’d take her because she’s going to ball and her and Stephanie already have chemistry so it would be fine.
NO BONNER
I’m in love with Sophie 😍
She's good looking.I'll say that.
Has anyone checked on Venom Reacts, I don't think he can handle another babe on the team.
So am I🥰
@@gen-xboomer He’s so excited
@ericMT 🤣😂🤣🤣 I went over to his channel after making that comment and yes he is fully pumped as are any fever fans or fans of hot babes
A 4/5 runner from Europe incoming.
Fever GM didn't walk the streets of Paris to come back with nothing. Then, there is a pipeline coming from Europe. 2025 and long-term!
Sophie Cunningham and Lexi Hull will be the blonde goddess bookends and enforcers of the WNBA. And the Fever will be much better team with the current batch of players they have than last year because Christie Sides is no longer the coach, who nothing about how to win a basketball game, held many of her players back (including Clark) and had had a high school understanding of how to coach players to play defense.
I already absolutely love Sophie Cunningham!!!!! Go Fever!!!!
Hull on a championship team is an elite bench player
Barbie Fever
lol
Don't think i layed eyes on Mick once...
😂 😂😂
We are not confused! We are happy as hell!!!
My first choice is Sophie and 2nd is Marina... I'm so happy we have Sophie.
NO. NO NO! NO Marina. We don't need her loathsome attitude or reprehensible actions.
Lfg!! A good 3 and D player. A girl that's said alot of nice things about caitlin as well!!!
They had to get rid of Nalyssa Smith. Sophie Cunningham is an absolute steal at $100K. One more PF/C and they are set.
Really, if Howard was a little younger, they would have that covered too. Katy Lou can play 4. I guess Dantas is the other backup right now.
Yea dantas is the back up for the PF... No back up for cc though she can't play all quarters like they did last season. Grace won't cut it
I see Katie remaining on the bench
Sophie 😘
Until EDD goes somewhere, I'm looking at her, on the Fever, and love the fit
At 19/20 I like King from ND she’s not too tall but she can rebound because she can JUMP so many women can’t jump. She also has a nice mid range.
Mikayla Timpson from Florida State is another rebounder, defensive stalwart that might be available then.
Yeah, they just got better, and I still don't think they're done. They may find a replacement for Saxton (and I actually like Saxton).
Hoping they add Wallace to go as well
No one really knows how all these changes will affect next season, but on paper they look fantastic. New coach, retained Kelsey, got Natasha Howard and Sophie. I just hope Fever management doesn't stand pat and be satisfied. Work on deals all the way up to the trade deadline. Never stop improving.
The national player of the year is Betts
They have 181k and sounds like a euro player
Looking into this more. Sophie is a bit of an enforcer. She brings some attitude. I like it. Her off ball movement seems good. She runs well. Good spot shooter. Seems like a really good fit.
So, I look forward to a fab five this season. What does their bench look like? I'm glad to see they detoxed themselves.
Their current bench,is Berger,Hull,Dantis,Wallace,Saxton.They have enough money,to add one more player.
Another cheer for Grace Berger. I just appreciate the way she does her work. I’m hoping that she & Caitlin trade notes .. and, some of what Caitlin is, .. is a result of her having the nose to the grindstone practicing, as much as she has, and there’s no substituting for that.
But anyway, .. IF there wouldn’t be a shift from fast break, opportunistic type of offense, WITHOUT Caitlin .. that would be huge, .. and that’s where Grace matters.
Sophie, .. it's nice to see you as a Fever.
I have never understood the enthusiasm for Grace Berger. But I hope I will someday.......
@@DavidStewart-v5e Grace did pretty well for the Indiana Hoosiers, (she can be a force) but yeah .. that was, then .. and some wishful thinking, on my part .. there's only room, for a few players, after college.
Brings much needed “toughness” to the roster.
Cunningham is a 3&D player that can play shooting guard or small forward which is great. The Fever need to sign Malonga or Meesseman for power forward/center.
Or Jannele Salaum
@DimitryMatos I'd love it if the Fever signed Salaun. But my first choices are Malonga & Meesseman because they are tall and versatile power forward/center's which is what Indiana needs.
An underrated point of this trade: trading away a toxic/distraction for a person who is especially pro-CC should set a tone for the other players.
No matter how talented you are you will be traded/released if you are a distraction and not bought in to the Fever's vision.
It is a great leadership move.
Kelly Krauskopf is so smart. Best move the Fever made that started it all. She knows they are in WIN NOW mode, so she focused on players who have proven value, rather than betting on an unproven commodity from the draft. So smart. Howard & Cunningham are perfect fits. I see that ring. 🥳
Sophie is an upgrade over everybody on that team last year besides the big 3
They should win it all this year no doubt, great moves with Sophie and Natausha. Can't believe they pulled off the Sophie trade, crazy.
Sofie is a rock solid player! Plus she is very easy on the eyes 👀 just saying.
Not for nothing but Kate Martin was picked 18th. I actually thought that was huge oversight by a lot of teams including the Fever.🥵
Fever sign Elena Delle Donne to come off the bench for Howard and Boston. She doesn't want to start and wants to play for the vet minimum. I heard it from a source.
Welcome to the Fever Sophie, this is exciting news, a real tough enforcer
I hope Howard and Cunningham are ready to receive those CC passes. If they can't handle it, this coming season will be a learning curve for all the new additions to the Fever.
Thanks for the great analysis today @Mick I’m still trying to sort it out.
Sophie & Hull will have so much fun together, even though they compete for the same position. Neither will take it personally, and the stronger of the two will take start for the night based on who’s risen higher to the top.
Regarding Phoenix…don’t want to ruffle any feathers with Phoenix fans, but I wonder how well they will gel in the locker room. Satou acts entitled and Alyssa Thomas won’t put up with that sht. They might face some culture/chemistry challenges. We’ll see how that plays out.
Don't know her reason why she didn't want the Fever. Weird to me. I think Satou just made a huge mistake
@karencarlisle2887 People are saying I’m trying to spin it, but it makes more sense to me that it was the other way around. Fever had other plans. Think she would have loved to come to Fever, but that wasn’t on the table as everyone thought. She had to start talking “facilities” to save face.
@@grb024 everything she listed as priorities we had and the Fever r about taking care of their players. Gonna have a great new training facility. The one they have now isn't bad as CT or Dallas. I kinda think the Fever wanted her but she didn't want to. She was just too nice to b ugly about it.
@karencarlisle2887 I think they originally were thinking about it, but the cost was too high. This would have been their only move. Just not enough to fill out this team. Kelly is too smart for that. They’ve been talking veterans since day 1, and they know they needed defense. I think Kelly & Amber are too professional to tip their hand, because it would’ve hurt SS’s stock.
Love Sophie❤
Natasha Howard looks like Jamal Crawford with braids lol
Shush trumpy
Fever can always go in the season with 11 players. They have enough money to bring in a role player. This draft is not stacked. There are 3 maybe 4 starters. Plus you have a couple Euros who are two years away that will get drafted. I do think Kelly has a player in mind. Maybe a Euro role player. Today they can start signing.
Acquiring Sophie was a good move. The Fever added depth to their guards and solved the NS situation for 10k and the 8th and kept the door open to a Euro. The 8th would have been a roll of the dice and more expensive. Sophie is not a gamble and a deal. This with getting Natasha and a new coach is a major advance to what the Fever had at the end of last year. Next year they will have Katie Lou's salary to do more.
I like the trade for Cunningham, didn't like that they gave up the 8 pick for her but after some thought, it made perfect sense, Indiana wants to win and can't with another rookie on the bench, tying up money. A player that I feel would work well for Indiana and be a great off the bench player would be Isabelle Harrison, she is a free agent, had a contract for 160k, I feel she would sign for 125k due to no one is talking about her. Her numbers at Chicago were not all that bad for a bench player and she is a Forward that could fit into Clark's offense.
Smith to the wings, so they get the wooden spoon for sure in 2025 lol.
I’m so excited about this!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
If anyone is upset about losing the 8th overall pick, check out who was picked 8th the last few years. No one significant. Sure we saw Reese and Grace Berger at 7 and those have been good picks but I’d take Sophie over some unknown college player if there is a choice.
I hate giving up draft picks but in this case I think it worked out ok.
I love the pick and clears cap space. Regular people don't get cap stuff or care
We need a big from Europe and then we're set for a run....Sophie got along with Caitlin during the All Star game and should have good chemistry.
The Fever should have offered everything for Alanna Smith. She's the missing piece.
Given she has done it in the past I wouldn't rule out her ultimately giving the Fever a discount in the future with the added exposure she will get playing for the Fever. There is definitely very real and significant financial value in that for some players.
I would run with 11 and see how it goes and leave that 12th spot open to sign someone after the season starts, there are always tons of players and draft picks that get let go or unsigned, besides you don't really know what's working and whats not until working it.
Sophie is highly marketable, easy on the eyes and well spoken, and knows she will make more $$$ from offcourt endorsements than from her Fever salary.
Howard and Cunningham perfect! Happy Days!
What are the chances of getting Marine Johannes?
I wish we had seen more of Saxton last year, still don’t know what she can do. Can she backup Boston and also play power forward if needed, or do we cut her and save her $60,000 salary to use on signing a backup center/power forward? If we keep her, do we fill our last roster spot with another backup big, or do we sign a combo guard that can play the point? Can we talk a team into trading a big in exchange for a combination of the 19th pick plus Wallace and Saxton? Right now, the decision to cut Celeste Taylor looks even worse.
you have now Cunningham/Hull/Samuelson ...how can this be a perfect fit?
Brilliant move! Another 3-point threat.
Thanks for talking me down, Mick - I wasn't crazy about this move and now I'm ok with it.
Hope you are correct. I don’t get it
Sorry. The 8th pick is absolutely more important. If they want a back-up PG, draft Sundell in the 2nd round, she's CC junior, and no more or less proven than Berger. And Mick, what happened to drafting Sivka. She's far better than Dantas, even at only 19. She'll be on a rookie contract, so it won't be one and done. Ditch Wallace for sure, Saxton maybe. Try to get Milic if you want experience. Trade one of the 2nd round picks and Dantas, Wallace and/or Saxton to move up and see if you can get Westbeld. Sundell and Westbeld fit, and could evolve into solid contributors.
Fever just draft HVL. So we can have the prettiest team in the W. ❤
The Sky will probably finish in the bottom 2 teams
The draft have some good picks, but not all will fulfill their role like CC did. The mindset overall will not welcome the rookies like the Fever did. Fever have vets now who will compliment our total team- just watch us go!!
A slight upgrade to Lexie Hull. This transaction is a yawner for me. I see the Fever as totally set at guard and forward. I would like to see a really tall center {6' 6" or more) and move Boston to PF. Lexie Hull is a 3rd year player and I think she will continue to improve. So this move is a bit of a puzzle for me. I guess it is a money move. The move for Natasha was a great move. This one, not so much, as I see it.
4:10: Wait, what happened with Erica Wheeler? Is she gone?
Yep..
Technically she is still on the team, but she is a free agent. Her Salary will be too much for the Fever so I see no way for them to keep her.
Gone!
Confused?
It’s a great trade!
The expansion drafts will be interesting. I don't see why they are expanding so fast tbh. who asked for a team in toronto? we got portland coming... now they're talking about detroit trying to get a team back?? they barely care about the pistons these days. I guess you better not fall too in love with your rosters because expansion drafts are looking like a regular thing in the future...
I’d rather trade the 8th pick this year. The next 2 years I’m keeping those picks.
The future's bright...the future's Fever with Sophie and Natasha.
Salaun? Tina Charles?
There's talk amongst Podcaster and Lobo (ESPN)....Bonner from Suns would be a good Free Agent Signing. My thoughts: Another Big who can shoot and play defense. Thoughts???
Sophie is indeed an upgrade over Hull, and Natasha over NaLyssa. But all of this post-trade rationalization for why they needed to trade the 8th pick doesn't make sense Yes, Aneesa Morrow another players may now be there at 8, but they also could be there at 8, and 8 can be a minimum salary player to replace Saxton or Wallace. Overall, I'm happy with what the Fever have done, but the rationalization is not needed.
Saxton will make less money than that #8 pick.
Wallace can always be cut for a pick in the second round like Rayah Marshall or some international vet min.
That 8 pick would be making near 80k or close to it at this rate.
My assumption at this point is that they already have someone in mind, or even lined up, that they feel would contribute more this year than who will be available at #8.
@@aden538 Probably true. But then get#8 and this person, as it may be awhile before they have a #8 pick again. In any event, Sophie is a good fit, and I look forward to seeing what else they (possibly) do, and to the season.
Jesus christ dude. you and the rest of the damn media. before howard yall kept saying they are one piece away. now they sign Cunningham who is an amazing defender and baller yet they are still one piece away.....HOW MANY MORE TIME ARE ALL YALL GONNA MOVE THE DAMN GOAL POSTS???
Surround her with players who like her and are talented.
The FEVER is going to pick someone that's coming from overseas today to sign.
Yeah right I believe the staff was pressured to get rid of her immediately by everyone they should of sent her to Dennis Rodman team the Connecticut Sun 🌞
When will the Indiana Fever get all these new players into a practice facility with Caitlin? Will all these players work as hard as Caitlin? I'm hoping they jell quickly. I'm nervous about personalities, we'll see
But 1 year at what cost? A #8 pick with a tremendous chance to have an affordable contract moving forward for four years!
expansion drafts are coming fast.
Go get camilla Cardozo!
Sophie Cunningham is cute, so that's a plus.
I see a Bonner signing in the next few days
Ehh... no effin way.
Janelle now???
Keep Grace
Love Sophie. But Mick, come get your boy McGregor. He’s lost the plot.
Great . SC is an enforcer. She’s even a blackbelt in karate. She loves CC and really wants to play with her………blah, blah, blah…but unfortunately only a mediocre basketball player. She runs around a lot but doesn’t score much - less than 8 ppg. Overrated. Getting rid of NS was okay but not worth the #8 pick. There’s lots of good players available at #8.
Bro you put her in 22? Come on man!
The 8th pick was worth more than Sophie period! Mick just stop with your misdirection & BS lip service about Grace who had not proved she can even play in the W. Her bringing a potential bust has nothing to do with this conversation.
I told you for weeks the Fever don’t need their draft picks but had as usual you have completely flip flopped again after something happens. You were screaming their draft picks are gold don’t trade them for Satou so just stop you’re a big fraud dude. 😂
I’m also not stupid they should have been able to get Sophie for Smith straight up period! They are similar players. This was bad trade by the Fever period!
This was a very strange trade & Kurt Miller fleeced both PHX & Indy. He got two 2 starters, a potential future player, & the 8th pick in this year’s draft for a one year rental in Satou. These W GM lack negotiation skills this crazy.
Fever fans should be asking the question why was Smith & 8th pick that not enough to Satou
? & if she did not want to come to Indy that’s a major concern going forward if top FA & players don’t won’t to come to Indy. Signing Howard proves nothing because she’s a mid level FA & if they had to overpay it’s really bad because she’s is not a max players so what they are paying her is important.
Forget all the Pom-Pom waving a cheering by most Fever Fan & these RUclipsrs. Indy is only slightly better than last year & still not a true title contender. They upgraded Smith & Lexies positions so they did good but it’s not great like I thought they should have been able to do. If they could have secured Satou they would be title favorites do bid questions is why? I hope we find out because it’s very important to know if was her or Indy did not want her.
This has me very concerned for CC’s & Indy’s potential to attract top FA in the future staring in ‘26. This is not college CC needs talent to win championships not avg players that she will make better. At the end of the day talent will always come out on top.
So we have the "splash sisters" in the backcourt and the "blonde bombshells " in the front...Sounds great...
Sofie Hotttt!!!
Number one Howard is not the player she was in Seattle. She’s on the downside of her career. Of course Smith had to go. Cunningham and Hull similar players, that’s not necessarily bad. I’m not sure Howard can be like Smith we’ll see.
You know nothing
yay!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck Nalyssa...