WNBA expansion draft: Who Toronto, Portland picked from Indiana Fever
· Yahoo Sports
The first piece of the condensed WNBA offseason has finished, and the Indiana Fever can turn their attention to free agency and the collegiate draft.
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In the first multiple-team expansion draft in the league since 2000, the Toronto Tempo picked Kristy Wallace, and the Portland Fire picked Chloe Bibby from the Fever’s unprotected list on Friday afternoon.
The Indiana Fever were only able to protect five players from the expansion draft. While the protection lists were not made public, the Tempo and Fire’s picks mean the Fever likely protected Caitlin Clark (All-WNBA first-teamer under contract through 2027), Aliyah Boston (All-WNBA second-teamer under contract through 2026), Lexie Hull (restricted free agent), Kelsey Mitchell (unrestricted free agent with core eligibility), and Makayla Timpson (under contract through 2028).
Bibby and Wallace's departures also should not affect the Fever too much as they move into planning for the 2026 season.
Bibby, who was a reserved free agent, could have been a depth piece for the Fever frontcourt, especially on a minimum contract. But she only played nine games for Indiana in 2025 before she was shut down for the season with a knee injury.
Wallace had a rocky 2024 season, going from a starter to a player who barely got minutes midseason under former Fever coach Christie Sides. Wallace opted to sit out the 2025 season for personal reasons; her contract was suspended, which is why Indiana still held her rights.
The Fever will now go into free agency with rights to five players, including contracts with Clark, Boston, and Timpson.
Kelsey Mitchell is the Fever’s No. 1 priority in free agency, as GM Amber Cox said following the season and Clark said on her appearance on NBC on March 29. Mitchell is an unrestricted free agent, but she is also core eligible, meaning the Fever can offer her a supermax of $1.4 million in exchange for exclusive negotiating rights. Mitchell was cored in 2025 and turned an All-WNBA First Team season while leading the Fever to the WNBA playoff semifinals.
Lexie Hull, who bought a house in Indianapolis with her fiancee last year, expressed interest in staying with the Fever following the 2025 season. She is a restricted free agent, meaning she can negotiate with other teams but Indiana has the right of first refusal and ability to match any offer she gets.
After those qualifying offers to Mitchell and Hull go out on April 7, the Fever will be able to start negotiating with free agents on April 9. Indiana will likely aim to bring back Sophie Cunningham, a starter before she was injured in August; Aari McDonald, who could be a serviceable backup to Clark at point guard; and others.
It will be a sprint to training camp, which opens in just over two weeks on April 19.
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: WNBA expansion draft: Toronto, Portland take Bibby, Wallace from Indiana Fever