Kate Martin was waived by the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday as the franchise finalized its 12-player roster ahead of the regular season, ending her lone season in San Francisco in surprising fashion. The decision came as Martin was recovering from a Grade 2 right quad strain late in April, which has kept her on the sidelines.
The timing caught many off guard. Martin appeared in 42 games for Golden State last season, was a fan favorite and a reliable rotational piece on a Valkyries team that made the playoffs in its inaugural season.
With Martin now on waivers, teams have 48 hours to claim her contract and the Indiana Fever is one of the franchises worth keeping an eye on.
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How the Indiana Fever Can Claim Kate Martin
Once a player is waived, she is placed on the waiver wire. In the ensuing 48 hours, any of the league’s 15 teams can submit a claim on her contract. If multiple teams do so, the league awards the contract to the team with the highest waiver priority.
If no team claims Martin within that window, she gains “cleared” status and becomes an unrestricted free agent, free to negotiate a new deal with any team in the league.
That opens a second door: if she isn’t signed to an active 12-player roster, she can be signed to a developmental contract. Under the 2026 CBA, teams can carry to developmental players who can participate in practices and training activities and be activated for up to 12 games during the season.
Indiana’s 12-player roster is currently filled. If the Fever wish to make a standard contract claim, they would have to make a corresponding roster move.
On the flipside, the team has one of two developmental slots open after officially waiving Kayana Traylor, Megan McConnell and Jessica Timmons on Wednesday, leaving room to add another player.
If no team claims Martin on a standard contract within the waiver window, Indiana could sign her to a developmental deal.
The Case for Kate Martin on the Indiana Fever
If the Fever were to acquire Martin, it would reunite her with Caitlin Clark, her former teammate at Iowa. The two spent four seasons together and helped lead the program to back-to-back national championship games. Their on-court chemistry is already established, and a reunion would be a compelling storyline both on and off the court.
That said, Indiana’s backcourt is already crowded. Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Tyasha Harris, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, and rookie Raven Johnson all occupy guard spots, leaving limited room for consistent minutes.
Martin’s shooting also remains a question. She shot 31% from three in 2025, and while there’s room for growth, it’s still a developing part of her game.
A short-term or developmental deal could make sense, but if Martin is looking for a defined role, and at 25, she should, Indiana may not be the ideal fit regardless of her history with Clark.
