A Fever spokesperson clarified what Sophie Cunningham's season-ending injury means for the potential return of Caitlin Clark.
The Indiana Fever suffered another blow on Tuesday with the announcement that guard Sophie Cunningham will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury sustained in Sunday's 99-93 overtime win against the Connecticut Sun.
Cunningham is the third Indiana guard to go down with a season-ending injury this month, following Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald. The Fever were already playing without star point guard Caitlin Clark, who has not played due to a right groin injury since July 15.
Despite countless setbacks, the Fever are still hanging onto a playoff spot, holding a 19-16 record with nine games remaining in the 2025 WNBA regular season.
Averaging 1.0 steals per game at 6-foot-1, Cunningham's defensive effort and versatility will be the hardest thing to replace immediately. She was also on fire from deep, making 43.2 percent of her 3.9 three-point attempts per game.
What Does Sophie Cunningham's Injury Mean for Caitlin Clark?
In response to Cunningham's diagnosis, the Fever signed guard Shey Peddy to a seven-day hardship contract and released guard Kyra Lambert.
The first question on fans' minds after the roster moves was one that has been repeated all season: what does it mean for Caitlin Clark?
While reporting on Cunningham's injury, the Indy Star asked that very question and got an important clarification from a team spokesperson.
"A Fever spokesperson clarified to IndyStar these moves don’t have anything to do with a potential return for star point guard Caitlin Clark,” Fever beat reporter Chloe Peterson wrote.
Sophie Cunningham suffered an MCL tear in her right knee, league source confirms. Her injury affected the Fever's decision to release Kyra Lambert and sign Shey Peddy, a six-year league veteran.
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) August 19, 2025
The moves didn't have anything to do with CC's status.https://t.co/UYtdk6iAHc
Will Caitlin Clark Return Before WNBA Playoffs?
The last time Indiana head coach Stephanie White gave an update on Clark was before the Fever's game on Sunday, when she stated her wish to have the 2025 WNBA All-Star captain back soon.
"That’s the hope," White said when asked if she anticipated Clark's return before the end of the regular season. "The hope is that she’s back.”
"The most important thing continues to be that she is 100 percent when she’s ready to come back,” White added on Sunday. “The timing is never ideal, but her long-term health and wellness is the most-important thing.”
Clark has not officially returned to full practice, a step she needs to take before she can return to game action. The Fever do not play until Friday, when they host the Minnesota Lynx at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Caitlin Clark has not yet returned to practice, Stephanie White says.
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) August 11, 2025
She is able to do a bit more in the running and individual workouts aspects, but no practice with the full team yet. pic.twitter.com/EDw1Dz85iy
The extra practice days this week were thought to be an ideal time to work Clark back in if she is ready, but there is more jeopardy involved in bringing her back with the roster as thin as it now looks without Cunningham. White's priorities for the rest of the week may shift considering that she has to work another new player into the rotation.
For now, all we know for certain is that Tuesday's roster moves had no impact on Clark's status.
Related: Calls Mount for Indiana Fever to Make Caitlin Clark Decision After Sophie Cunningham News
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Category: Basketball
