With the Indiana Fever now headed into the WNBA offseason, one question dominates the franchise: Where does that leave the team if unrestricted free agent Kelsey Mitchell, comes back to Indiana.
As difficult as it might be to try and replace a player who averaged 24.7 points per game on 50.9% shooting, according to her college basketball reference, Caitlin Clark actually may be able to survive a Mitchell exit–and even – thrive into a new level of excellence.
After the abbreviated sophomore campaign, Clark finished the regular season in style and played in 40 games, raising her 22.3 point per game average and shooting percentage to:
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.5%
- 3-Point Percentage: 36.1%
- True Shooting Percentage: 60.0%
Nevertheless, even compared to the original 2024 rookie season – 2024 season – Clark has shown that she has changed from a volume creation to a primary scoring weapon. Even more important, her world-class playmaking was still working as she averaged more than eight assists per game to run the fever attack.
What the Playoff On/Off Numbers Tell Us
The debate escalated in the Fever’s playoff series with the Las Vegas Aces. Though Mitchell averaged the same 20.3 points per game as Clark, the latter was the more efficient scorer in the playoffs, shooting 39.6% from the floor versus Mitchell’s 32.7%.
More telling is the lineup metrics recorded via PBP Stats:
Clark & Mitchell Together: The Fever had an offensive rating of approximately 106.74 in about 87 minutes played together.
Clark Without Mitchell: In the sample of nearly 17 minutes where Clark was on the floor in place of Mitchell, Indiana’s offensive rating rose to 129.41 and they also became stouter on the perimeter defensively.
Opposite was also true when Mitchell was on the floor. When Clark was left on the floor for Mitchell, the offensive rating for the squad plummeted to 93.55.
The Bottom Line for Indiana’s Future
Replacing Mitchell’s explosive shot-making will certainly take a team effort or savvy roster moves. But the data shows a potential Mitchell exit would free up Clark to have a higher usage, the ability to control the pace of possessions, and more leeway in running the offense.
If those stats are any indication, Indiana Fever could lose their heart backcourt teammate- and that might not be a loss at all. It could be just the push needed to unlock Caitlin Clark.