A former MVP, a former WNBA champion and a 2025 All-Star make our shortlist of targets for the Fever at the trade deadline.
3 Blockbuster Indiana Fever Trades to Win Caitlin Clark a Title originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The WNBA trade deadline for the 2025 season is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, and title contenders are already making moves with an eye on the playoffs.
As the Indiana Fever (17-12) await the return of superstar Caitlin Clark from injury, pressure is mounting for them to keep up.
WNBA Title Favorites Lynx, Liberty Raise the Stakes Before Trade Deadline
On Sunday, the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (24-5) upgraded their elite defense, anchored by MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier, when they made a trade for Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington.
The defending WNBA champion New York Liberty (18-10) also got stronger, but not via trade. They signed overseas star and 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman to add to their existing frontcourt, which already had two former Finals MVPs in Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart.
As of Monday, the Lynx (+160 title odds, per ESPN BET) and the Liberty (+185) are championship favorites in a class of their own. They showed the chasing pack of contenders like the Phoenix Mercury (+650), Fever (+1000) and Atlanta Dream (+1400) that upgrades are not just possible, they are necessary as the trade deadline approaches.
3 Players Who Could Improve the Fever's Title Chances
The Fever beat the Lynx in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final without Clark, but a playoff run ending in WNBA Finals glory is a different kind of championship challenge.
We've put together a list of three players for Indiana to target who would separate them from other contenders, add an element to head coach Stephanie White's rotation and ultimately boost their chances at winning a title when Clark returns from her injury absence.
- Tina Charles, C, Connecticut Sun
- Satou Sabally, F, Phoenix Mercury
- Azura Stevens, F/C, Los Angeles Sparks
Keep reading to find out exactly how the Fever could pull off each deal — and who they would have to give up in return.
Will the Fever Make a Trade at the 2025 WNBA Trade Deadline?
Here are a few factors to consider.
- The WNBA's salary and roster rules matter. The Fever have $95,320 in cap space to help absorb salaries in a trade, per Her Hoop Stats WNBA Salary Cap Database. They have a full roster of 12 players. This Reddit thread is a helpful resource.
- The CBA is expiring at the end of the 2025 season. With salaries projected to skyrocket in 2026, only two veterans in the league are under contract after this season. Cheap rookie contracts and draft picks have outsized value.
- Indiana's team needs. The Fever are thin in the frontcourt behind starters Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard. They need an extra scoring option who could decide a series against the Lynx or the Liberty in the late rounds of the playoffs. Ideally, targets should also fit in White's motion offense and provide floor spacing around Clark.
- The Fever made moves recently. In the past six weeks, Indiana waived forward DeWanna Bonner and picked up guard Aari McDonald and forward Chloe Bibby. They are currently on a five-game winning streak without Clark, who will feel like a new signing when she returns.
Indiana's front office duo of president Kelly Krauskopf and general manager Amber Cox may not feel the need to make more changes, but playing it safe will not help them close the gap on the Lynx and Liberty. We have some ideas.
Indiana Fever Trade Target No. 1: Tina Charles
Proposed trade:
- Indiana Fever receive Tina Charles ($170,000 cap hit)
- Connecticut Sun receive Damiris Dantas ($100,000 cap hit)
- Connecticut Sun receive 2027 second-round pick
Tina Charles 2025 stats:
- 27 games played, 26 starts
- 16.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists
- 41.6% FG, 25.9% 3PT, 87.4% FT
Summary: Despite a historic career and success overseas, Charles is the only WNBA MVP in league history without a championship — and the Fever could change that. With the Sun toiling in last place, the franchise is building for a future in Boston and could be interested in shedding $70,000 in salary with a pick thrown in to sweeten the deal.
This trade would be an immediate upgrade for the Fever. It would be difficult to play Charles and Boston together, but having multiple legit 6-foot-4 centers against towering frontcourts like New York and Atlanta increases Indiana's margin for error come playoff time. The minimal drop off between Boston and Charles on the offensive end would also create new flexibility in the rotation to stagger Clark and Boston's minutes.
Dantas' departure is eased by Bibby's ability to stretch the floor, while Boston gets an incredible mentor. Charles would have to agree to a lot less touches and minutes, but perhaps the Fever could convince the 36-year-old this is her best shot at a ring in the W.
Indiana Fever Trade Target No. 2: Satou Sabally
Proposed trade:
- Indiana Fever receive Satou Sabally ($215,000 cap hit)
- Phoenix Mercury receive Natasha Howard ($214,466 cap hit)
Satou Sabally 2025 stats:
- 23 games played, 23 starts
- 17.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists
- 38.3% FG, 28.2% 3PT, 81.1% FT
Summary: This is a buy-low opportunity after Sabally was benched by Phoenix coach Nate Tibbitts in the second half on Friday and then missed Sunday's game for personal reasons. Sound familiar, Fever fans? Anyway, if the 2025 All-Star is angling for a trade and the Mercury will listen to a fellow contender, the Fever should pick up the phone.
Howard is the only player Indiana has, besides untouchable All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell, who could make the salaries match here. She is not a perfect fit for Phoenix, but she certainly will not get benched for a lack of effort. Fever fans may not like the idea of sending away a beloved veteran, but this is about raising the ceiling of the team around Clark. Trading for Sabally accomplishes that.
The 27-year-old has been hampered by an ankle injury this season, and she has struggled to regain All-Star form since Bonner joined the team in July and wing Kahleah Copper returned to the lineup. Sabally's efficiency is down this year from three (45.2 percent last season), but at her best, she is still a three-level scorer who can drop 20 on any given night.
A potential lineup of Clark, Mitchell, Sabally, Bibby and Boston could cause an offensive supernova that even the Lynx would struggle to stop. It may be the least realistic of the three moves, but it is fun to be messy.
Indiana Fever Trade Target No. 3: Azura Stevens
Proposed trade:
- Indiana Fever receive Azura Stevens ($195,000 cap hit)
- Los Angeles Sparks receive Sophie Cunningham ($100,000 cap hit)
- Los Angeles Sparks receive Damiris Dantas ($100,000 cap hit)
- Los Angeles Sparks receive 2026 first-round pick
Azura Stevens 2025 stats:
- 27 games played, 27 starts
- 14.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists
- 50.2% FG, 40.5% 3PT, 76.6% FT
Summary: To strike a blockbuster trade for Stevens, the Fever would have to put a lot on the table. Cunningham and Dantas cannot match Stevens' impact on the floor, but Indiana needs to send two players to offset the salaries. Cunningham would provide a defensive boost in the Sparks' backcourt next to Kelsey Plum, and a move to Los Angeles would only increase her value off the court as one of the most marketable players in the WNBA. Dantas is no Stevens, but the Sparks still have plenty of talented bigs with Cameron Brink back in the lineup.
Los Angeles does not have a first-round pick in 2026, so that is one of the few pieces of leverage Indiana could use to pull this off. Giving up a first makes this deal sting for Indiana — but Stevens is that good. If it works out, it could wind up being the last pick in the first round.
The 29-year-old is having the best season of her career and represents a dream fit for any coach, but especially White. She is 6-foot-6 and knocks down more than 40 percent of her threes, while averaging 2.7 blocks plus steals per game on the other end. She ranks fifth in the league in Player Efficiency Rating behind only Collier, A'ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas and Boston.
Giving up Cunningham would likely return Lexie Hull to Indiana's starting lineup as the three, but with the addition of Stevens, that would be a net positive for the Fever. If they want to create a bonafide super team to contend with the Lynx and the Liberty, they should offer whatever it takes to get the former WNBA champion.
Related: Exciting Caitlin Clark News Emerges During Fever-Storm Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
