Basketball
The three-headed monster in Indiana has been one of the most exciting trios to watch this WNBA season. Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell have firmly kept their team in the conversation as one of the best in the league. But with the new CBA, the Fever front office may soon face the challenge of keeping them together. And while many have pointed to Clark compromising as a possible solution, former college basketball player and Courtside Club host Rachel A. DeMita has made it clear that Clark shouldn’t have to back down.
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“There is definitely an argument to be made. Caitlin could take a discount to stay with the Fever and play with her friends,” DeMita said in an X post shared by Courtside Club. “The Fever did an interesting job of their signings during this offseason and the amount of money that they gave certain players. And then obviously you have Aliyah Boston, and you have Kelsey Mitchell on maximum contract deals. My argument against that, though, is I don’t think Caitlin should take a pay cut. I don’t think anyone should take a pay cut.”
Her answer came in response to a fan’s statement that Clark doesn’t need to opt for a Supermax contract, since she makes millions from her endorsement deals. But DeMita stood by her stance.
“I’ve been very vocal about this,” she added. “I don’t think they should (take a pay cut) because this is a new era of the WNBA. This is a brand new CBA. They have to set the tone, and I know even in the men’s game, the players’ association also doesn’t want players to take pay cuts because it kind of just screws things up for everyone else.”
This offseason, Aliyah Boston secured her future in Indiana after signing a four-year, $6.3 million extension under the new CBA. The deal takes advantage of the league’s Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) provision, allowing her to move into a maximum-level contract earlier than players under the previous system under certain criteria.
Mitchell, meanwhile, signed a one-year, $1.4 million supermax deal to remain with the Fever, giving Indiana another major seven-figure commitment.
Clark’s situation is different. She remains on her rookie contract through 2027, but her 2024 All-WNBA selection gives her a path toward a maximum-level deal under the EPIC provision. If she wins MVP this season, she could become eligible for a supermax contract, earning 20% of the Fever’s cap next season. And that creates the financial puzzle DeMita believes Indiana – not Clark – should have to solve.
“I personally want to see the Fever front office be the ones to figure it out,” DeMita added. “The Fever front office are the ones who have the calculators, and they’re the ones who are crunching numbers and making sure that they can keep their stars. It shouldn’t have to be Caitlin worrying about, ‘Oh, if I don’t take what I’m worth.’ And again, she should take what she’s worth because she’s done so much for this league, and she deserves it.
“She should be able to tell the Fever, ‘Hey, I want to take what I deserve and what I’m worth, and I also want to keep Aliyah Bost on and Kelsey Mitchell here.’ Do what you need to do.”
Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever in scoring (25.0 PPG), and Caitlin Clark leads the team and the league in assists (8.4 APG), and Aliyah Boston leads the Fever in rebounds (8.2 RPG), blocks (1.3), and steals (1.5). All three bring a different skill set to the table, making each of them crucial to a team that appears to be well on its way to becoming a championship contender.
So that leaves Indiana with a difficult task, but perhaps the kind every ambitious franchise eventually wants.
Read More Joan Klemp