Fever Should Consider Betnijah Laney-Hamilton After Liberty Release

Veteran wing Betnijah Laney-Hamilton could provide an impact for the Indiana Fever for the rest of this season.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton during a New York Liberty game. | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

The New York Liberty released veteran wing Betnijah Laney-Hamilton on Thursday.

While Laney-Hamilton isn't too far removed from being a key part of the Liberty franchise's first WNBA championship in 2024, it had become increasingly clear throughout the season that she needed a fresh start, given her diminishing role and productivity in New York.

And there's a strong case to be made that the fresh start Laney-Hamilton needs could be with the Indiana Fever. Or at the very least, the Fever should consider signing her for several reasons.

New York Liberty guard-forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Fever Could Make Sense as Betnijah Laney-Hamilton Landing Spot

For one, the Fever would use depth at the wing position. Lexie Hull hasn't been as productive this season as she has been in the past. And while Sophie Cunningham has picked up her slack, the Fever could use another perimeter defender with some scoring upside, and that's exactly what Laney-Hamilton could bring to the table.

Plus, the Fever have an available spot on their active roster after Damiris Dantas had to have season-ending knee surgery. This puts them in a solid position to add a player right now, which isn't the same for many other teams across the league.

There's no question that Laney-Hamilton isn't the same player that she was in 2024. She missed the entire 2025 campaign with an injury and isn't moving like she once did on the floor. That being said, she couldn't need to fill a huge role for Indiana. She could play somewhere between 15-20 minutes per game, focus on defending the other team's biggest perimeter threat, and try to find ways to contribute on offense.

The biggest downside to Laney-Hamilton's game right now is her three-point shooting. She's shooting an abysmal 24.3% from behind the arc this season, which is a massive decrease from her 40.2% three-point percentage in 2024.

Indiana's offensive scheme makes it so their wing players need to be able to hit open three-point shots, or at least not let opposing defenses leave them open out there. The good news is that Laney-Hamilton has been a threat from three in the past and could potentially re-find her stroke with a new squad.

Perhaps most important of all is that Laney-Hamilton can sign with the Fever on a pro-rated veteran minimum contract for the rest of this year. She could potentially sign for more elsewhere, but there may be no better opportunity for her to win a championship and show she has something still to offer than in Indiana.