The WNBA’s expansion plans are creating a storm of uncertainty, and Sophie Cunningham’s future with the Indiana Fever is right at the eye of it. With two new teams joining the league in 2026, the clock is ticking for the WNBA and its players' association to finalize a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), ensuring a smooth transition for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire as they build their rosters through expansion drafts. But here's where it gets controversial: the league is already playing catch-up, with the Golden State Valkyries having already completed their expansion draft in December 2024. Once a CBA is in place, determining the rules and timing of these drafts will become a top priority—and that’s where things get complicated for teams like the Fever.
One of the biggest debates revolves around how many players existing teams can protect, with the likely shift from six to five protected players per team. This change aims to give the new franchises more talent to choose from, but it puts teams like the Fever in a tough spot. They’ve got four clear-cut players to protect—Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Lexie Hull—but the fifth spot is anyone’s guess. Natasha Howard is off the table due to her core designation status, leaving Sophie Cunningham and Makayla Timpson as the leading contenders. But here’s the part most people miss: Cunningham, despite being a bigger star, is often left out of protected player predictions, with analysts like ESPN’s Kevin Pelton and Bleacher Report’s Jordan Robinson favoring Timpson’s potential over Cunningham’s proven track record.
Robinson even went as far as predicting that if Cunningham isn’t protected, she’ll likely be snapped up by the Portland Fire. But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent, meaning she could theoretically be selected by an expansion team and then leave in free agency shortly after—unless the WNBA introduces new rules to prevent this. While this might deter expansion teams from selecting her, the reality is that most WNBA veterans are in the same boat. So, why not take the best player available and deal with free agency later?
This uncertainty highlights a larger question: Is the WNBA’s expansion draft system fair to established players like Cunningham? And what does this mean for the Fever’s roster stability? Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: Cunningham’s future with the Fever hangs in the balance, even if both sides want her to stay. What do you think? Should the Fever protect Cunningham, or is Timpson the safer bet? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments!
