As contending teams have been making trades with the WNBA trade deadline looming, there has been talk on if the Fever could look to make a win-now trade themselves.
The respective trades sending DiJonai Carrington to Minnesota and Brittney Sykes to Seattle have certainly been major for a trade deadline that has been historically uneventful in WNBA years past, but the Fever can make the biggest acquisition in the WNBA: Getting Caitlin Clark back.
Should Caitlin Clark return this season?
The message that has been consistently sent from Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White is that the organization would be prioritizing Clark's longterm health and will take as much time as they deem necessary before activating her.
After Clark has bounced around between active and inactive over the course of this season prior to this longer term absence, that is realistically the right mindset to have. You are hoping to win for a long time with Clark as your best player and risking that while she is 23 years old certainly does not feel great.
Even then while saying that, there is no direct guarantee that opportunity comes in the future. What you can see in the present however is an Indiana Fever team that is playing incredible basketball.
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While Indiana's last contest resulted in a loss, it came to a Sparks team that is absolutely on fire and before that the Fever found themselves on a five game win streak. It is hard to not watch this Fever stretch and think "well, if Caitlin was here..." because in that hypothetical, you are likely looking at the team that would have been playing the best basketball in the WNBA.
As this Fever team surges up the WNBA standings, you aren't going to be classifying Indiana as trade deadline buyers in the slightest. This is a team that is finally hitting an incredible stride.
It is a stride as well that Caitlin Clark would fit perfectly into. Aari McDonald and Clark are certainly different players but one thing they have in common is the pace of play they most succeed at - Kelsey Mitchell as well. This Fever team is playing fast and would be perfect for a healthy Clark's playmaking.
Being quiet as the trade deadline approaches and passes is not the most electric thing the Fever can do, but it is the right thing to do. Continue to ride this wave that the team has hit, and cross those fingers that Clark is ready for a WNBA Playoff run.