Caitlin Clark injury: Four players Fever could sign with hardship exception during star guard's absence

The Indiana Fever have had a tough week. Star guard Caitlin Clark was diagnosed with a quad strain that will keep her out until at least June 10, they fell to the Washington Mystics and Connecticut Sun to run their losing streak to three games, and Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham both left the latter contest with injuries. 

There was some "good news" on Sunday, at least, as coach Stephanie White told reporters that neither Colson (upper left leg) nor Cunningham (right ankle) will face a long-term absence. 

"I think we got good news from both of their MRIs, as good of news as you can get," White said. "And so right now, it's a day-to-day thing. We're looking forward to hopefully them returning at some point sooner rather than later, but at the same time, it's how each of them progresses in their rehab."

Fever get 'good news' on MRIs for Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham as injuries pile up for Indiana

Jack Maloney

Due to their array of injuries, the Fever could have as few as eight available players for their next game on Tuesday against the Mystics. When a team falls under 10 available players, they are eligible for an emergency hardship exception, which allows them to sign a replacement player. The team must terminate the emergency contracts as soon as their non-replacement players are available to play. 

Following practice on Sunday, Fever president Kelly Krauskopf said the team is "hoping" to sign someone before Tuesday. 

"The WNBA, the roster sizes are so much smaller," Krauskopf said. "You have an 11-player roster and you lose three players like that, you have to add a player to your roster. It's something that you just deal with being in this league with the roster sizes being a little bit smaller. That's why you try to build for depth."

When Clark went down, White inserted Colson into the starting lineup, and said that Cunningham would also get opportunities to run the offense. Depending on how things go for Colson and Cunningham over the next few days, it's possible that the Fever will be without their only two true point guards and their third choice at the position. 

White made it clear that they're looking for a playmaker, but said that it will not necessarily be someone who is familiar with their system. 

"Best player available at that position who can add value at both ends of the floor," White said, when asked what the team is looking for. "Certainly we need to have someone who can add value on the defensive end, we gotta have somebody who can help us navigate and get into offense, handle the ball since we're down two healthy guards. 

"The goal would be to get everybody back to their natural positions if we can, but at the same time, we can't control everything, so we'll get the best player we can get that will fit into how we play."

Here's a look at four potential options for the Fever to give them some depth in the backcourt:

Grace Berger 

The Fever drafted Berger -- a five-year star at Indiana -- with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. While she had a solid rookie campaign, she barely played last season and was waived by the team in February. Berger went to training camp with the Minnesota Lynx, but did not make their final roster and is now a free agent. 

Berger is a very steady player with good size on the perimeter who can run an offense and take care of the ball. Plus, she has familiarity with some of the key players on the roster, including Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. 

Jaelyn Brown

The Fever acquired Brown from the Dallas Wings as part of what officially became a 10-team mega trade. Brown nearly made the final roster, and would have if they had carried the full complement of 12 players into the season instead of 11 due to salary cap issues. Instead, she was the final cut, and is without a team. 

While White said they wouldn't necessarily prioritize someone who knows their system already, it would certainly make it easier to add a guard who has experience with what they want to do and knows the other players. Brown's rookie season with the Wings was derailed by a nasal fracture, but she had some bright moments when she did get to play. 

Aari McDonald

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft, McDonald was a surprise cut by the Los Angeles Sparks on the final day of training camp. Because she was waived on the last possible day, she never had a chance to find another home, and remains a free agent. 

McDonald has struggled to find her own offense at the professional level, but she is a true point guard and a dogged defender on the perimeter. White mentioned that the team is hoping to find someone who can get everyone else back into their natural positions, and McDonald would accomplish that goal. 

Aerial Powers

Powers only made 17 appearances last season with the Atlanta Dream and did not link up with a team this season. She is still a free agent and has made it clear on social media that she is hoping to return to the court soon. Could that be with the Fever?

It was only three years ago that Powers, now 31, put up 14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game with the Minnesota Lynx. She hasn't done much since then, but in terms of pure talent she may be the best available option. At the very least, she would give the Fever some juice with her energy on both ends.