Fever's Options After Waiving Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Now that the Indiana Fever have played 5 games in the 2026 regular season, the team is starting to get a clearer picture of what their roster's roles and rotations will look like as their campaign progresses.
This inevitably meant that some players were going to receive fewer minutes, and no roster ever looks the exact same at the end of a season compared to the beginning of a season. And Indiana's first big roster move was announced on May 21, when they made the decision to waive veteran guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.
we have waived guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 21, 2026
thank you, Tori ❤️ pic.twitter.com/td7diYHQpT
Perhaps this move shouldn't come as a surprise, as Walker-Kimbrough has only played 3.5 minutes of garbage time so far this year and hasn't produced any positive stats.
In fact, the most interesting aspect of this is what the Fever might do to fill that vacant roster spot. And they have four options in that regard.
What Fever Might Do After Shatori Walker-Kimbrough Decision
1. Elevate Bree Hall or Justine Pissott to Full Roster
One option is elevating either Bree Hall or Justine Pissott, both of whom are on the development contracts with the Fever, to the team's full roster. This could be the cleanest fit, as both have been around the team.
But there's a strong case to be made that Indiana should use this opportunity to further bolster frontcourt depth, especially after Aliyah Boston's recent injury scare.
2. Sign a Free Agent
Indiana's second option is signing a player in free agency. There are compelling options available, like center Kalani Brown, who could add crucial depth behind Boston. Brown is 6-foot-7 and most recently played for the Phoenix Mercury before being bought out.
Of course, the Fever could sign any player still available on the market.
3. Sign Development Contract Player From Other Team
Indiana's third option is signing a player who's on a development contract with another WNBA team. Caitlin Clark's best friend Kate Martin, who is in a development contract with the Los Angeles Sparks, inevitably comes to mind here.
Teams have the right of first refusal if their development player is given an offer, but if they chose not to elevate them to the main roster immediately, then they would move on to the franchise who chose to sign them.
4. Trade for a Player
The Fever could also execute a trade for another player without losing anyone on their current roster. This doesn't seem likely, but it is still technically on the table.
Regardless of how Indiana fills this roster spot, they're going to have to sign the resulting player to a minimum contract, given their salary cap limitations. But that still presents plenty of options.
It will be interesting to see how Indiana handles this, as a decision on their next move will likely come in the near future.
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Grant Young covers women’s basketball for Women’s Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI. His coverage centers on league trends and the growth of women’s basketball, both on and off the court. He also creates digital content focused on the sport’s biggest moments and personalities.
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