When speaking with the media on October 2, Indiana Fever GM Kelly Krauskopf got crystal clear when it came to the team’s top priority in free agency this upcoming offseason.
“I’m going to sound like a broken record from last year. The priority will be Kelsey Mitchell, and making sure she remains in a Fever jersey,” Cox said. “Wow. What a season for her. She laid it all out on the line… Obviously, sad the way that it ended for her in Game 5. But just tremendous.
“[Mitchell] will continue to be a focal point as we enter free agency,” she added.
This sentiment from Krauskopf should come as a surprise to nobody. Mitchell has spent her entire career with the Fever and produced her best season of all in 2025, to the point where she finished in the top five for WNBA MVP voting.
Sep 30, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) celebrates after making a play against the Las Vegas Aces during the second quarter of game five of the second round of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Fever’s fan base absolutely adores her, and everybody who watched Indiana play in 2025 (and in the past) understands how crucial Mitchell is to this offense functioning at its peak, particularly when Caitlin Clark is healthy so that somebody can take some of the ball-handling and playmaking responsibility off her hands.
However, other WNBA teams are just as aware of how incredible a player is. And given that she’s becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason (as is every other league veteran aside from two players), teams will surely try to lure Mitchell away from the Fever.
These Two Teams (Aside From Indiana) Make Most Sense for Kelsey Mitchell
In an October 16 article from The Athletic, WNBA writers Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman listed the Seattle Storm and the Dallas Wings as potential fits for Mitchell if she departs Indiana in free agency.
25 minutes of Kelsey Mitchell’s best highlights this season 🍿 pic.twitter.com/XIlrG4y23T
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) October 13, 2025
Both of these teams make sense for Mitchell because both could use more scoring at the guard position. While the Wings have superstar Paige Bueckers, adding another offensive threat on the back court would work wonders for Bueckers, if only because defenses couldn’t focus on her as much as they did during her rookie 2025 campaign.
The Storm are more interesting because all of their best players are set to become free agents, so it’s unclear how their roster will look next season. But they could benefit from having Mitchell regardless.
Of course, Fever fans don’t want to think about Mitchell wearing another jersey any time soon. And given how mutually beneficial this pairing has been, it’s hard to imagine Mitchell will be anywhere but Indianapolis once the 2026 WNBA season tips off.
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