Sophie Cunningham is entering a pivotal juncture in her career now that the Indiana Fever have been eliminated from the 2026 WNBA playoffs.
Indiana’s WNBA campaign officially ended after a 94-83 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 3 of their first-round matchup on Thursday.
The Fever tried to make a comeback in the final quarter after trailing by as many as 12 points in the third. They came up short, though, as the Aces held on and kept their title defense on track.
This defeat marked the final game of Cunningham’s one-year, $665,000 contract with Indiana, which she signed during the offseason. The 30-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent once free agency opens in the offseason.
A lot of uncertainty now surrounds Cunningham’s future with the Fever. The team must decide whether to offer her a new, potentially more lucrative contract or let her walk as a free agent and sign with another team. She also has to decide whether to pursue a contract renewal with the Fever or look for a new deal elsewhere.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Cunningham just completed her second season in Indiana. She averaged 7.9 points on 46.0% shooting and 1.6 three-pointers per game on a highly efficient 41.9% clip. The 6-foot-1 guard was Indiana’s top scorer off the bench, logging 22.2 minutes across 43 regular-season games. Cunningham also averaged 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest.
The former Missouri star’s contributions go beyond the box score. She excelled in a 3-and-D role, providing important perimeter shooting and tough, physical defense against opposing stars. Cunningham also established herself as one of the team’s vocal leaders both on and off the court.
WNBA free agency is expected to open in February. It is important to note that for the Fever, Cunningham is far from the only player who will require a new deal. MVP contender Kelsey Mitchell will also become a free agent, while Caitlin Clark will be eligible to sign an extension to her rookie deal.
Tyasha Harris, Myisha Hines-Allen and Mercedes Russell will all enter free agency as well.
