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Indiana Fever Could Core WNBA Free Agent Kelsey Mitchell: Here's What That Means

It appears likely that Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell will receive a "core" designation this offseason. Here's what that means, and how it affects Mitchell's future with the fever.

Grant Young

Jun 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) against the Phoenix Mercury during a WNBA game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jun 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) against the Phoenix Mercury during a WNBA game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

During her appearance on a November 13 episode of the "Locked on Women's Basketball" podcast, Indiana Fever President of Basketball & Business Operations Kelly Krauskopf asserted that bringing longtime Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason) back to her team in 2025 is top of mind.

"She's our number one priority," Krauskopf said of Mitchell. "Yes, we have the opportunity to core her. And it would be sort of irresponsible for me if we didn't utilize that opportunity."

Krauskopf mentioning the opportunity to "core" Mitchell raised some questions online about what exactly she means, and what "coring" a player entails.

Here's your answer.

During every free agency period, each WNBA franchise is given an opportunity to give one player a "core" designation, which enables these teams to hold on to the rights of just one player per franchise who would otherwise become a free agent.

Any player given the core designation by their team is automatically offered a one-year, super-max offer, per the terms of the WNBA's active collective bargaining agreement (CBA). In 2025, the WNBA super-max is $249,244.

Once a player is "cored" for two seasons across their career, teams aren't allowed to give them the designation again.

Kelsey Mitchell has never received a core designation in her career to this point. And because prized Fever players Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are under contract through the 2025 season (and therefore have no need to get a core designation), there seems to be little question that Mitchell will get cored by Indiana this offseason.

And Krauskopf all but confirmed this during another portion of her "Locked on Women's Basketball" podcast — and also explained why Mitchell should view this as a positive.

"I think it's more of an honor," Krauskopf said of players getting cored. "If I'm a player, they think I'm important enough that I'm tagged the franchise player. That's the way I would look at it because those don't come around very often. And when you have an opportunity to do that, you want to use it on your most important player.

"Kelsey Mitchell is that for us," Krauskopf added. "The Clark-Mitchell backcourt is about as lethal as you can get. And we need another year to see just how much damage those two can do in the backcourt, to go even further."

Since the opportunity to core a player will arrive after the Golden State Valkyries WNBA expansion draft, the Fever will still need to protect Mitchell.

But the bottom line is that if Krauskopf and the Fever front office elect to use their core designation on Mitchell — which it appears likely that they will — the Fever are guaranteed to have their dynamic duo backcourt back together in 2025, barring a trade.

Therefore, Fever fans can rest easy about any free agency rumors.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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