Indiana Fever Locks in Star Guard Caitlin Clark for 2027 via Team Option

The Indiana Fever exercised the team option on guard Caitlin Clark’s rookie-scale contract, securing her services for the 2027 season. The option, valued at $597,596, was required to be exercised a full year in advance, prompting the decision before the start of the 2026 campaign. The move guarantees Clark remains under contract through the final year of her four-year rookie deal, after which she will become a restricted free agent.

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Clark entered the league as the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and signed a rookie-scale contract that sets predetermined salaries for four seasons. She is also an MVP candidate who missed time due to injuries last season. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement increased the salary amounts for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Under the Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) provision, a team may extend a player’s contract and raise the salary in the fourth year of the rookie deal. Indiana’s teammate Aliyah Boston is the only player to have signed an EPIC extension to date.

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Across her first two seasons, Clark averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 assists per game in 53 appearances. When available, the Fever posted a 28-25 record. In the most recent season, she recorded 16.5 points and 8.8 assists per game. The EPIC provision could allow the Fever to increase Clark’s 2027 cap hit from just under $600,000 to the league’s maximum salary, which is at least 17 % of the WNBA salary cap and could rise to 20 % of the next season’s cap, though the exact figure remains undisclosed.

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The Fever’s front office called the option exercise a formality, noting Clark’s on-court and off-court impact. Team officials indicated that the organization will pursue every available mechanism, including an EPIC extension, to retain Clark beyond 2027. Clark expressed satisfaction with the team’s training-camp progress.

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• “Just really excited more than anything,” — Caitlin Clark, Guard, Indiana Fever

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• “Practice has been really good. [The] energy level has been great, so [I] can’t complain about that.” — Caitlin Clark, Guard, Indiana Fever

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Securing Clark through 2027 stabilizes the Fever’s core backcourt and positions the franchise as a contender in the 2026 season. The potential EPIC extension could set a precedent for higher salaries for elite rookies, influencing future negotiations under Collective Bargaining Agreement. The financial ceiling for EPIC contracts remains uncertain, creating a variable that could affect salary-cap planning league-wide.

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The Fever open their 2026 schedule on Saturday, with Clark slated to start at guard. Clark will be eligible for an EPIC extension in the 2026 season, and any negotiations will depend on her performance and the league’s salary-cap outlook for 2027. The outcome will determine whether Indiana can retain Clark beyond the rookie contract’s final year.

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