Fever sign Aari McDonald: Indiana uses hardship exception on defensive guard as Caitlin Clark remains injured

The injury-riddled Indiana Fever have signed former lottery pick Aari McDonald with an emergency hardship exception, the team announced Monday.

"I was very anxious. It felt weird sitting at home watching the games this time of the year, but when I got the call I was very excited, very blessed and humbled to join a team like the Fever," McDonald said after her first practice with the team. "I'm just excited and I'm ready to compete and win."

Over the last week, the Fever have lost Caitlin Clark (left quad), Sydney Colson (upper left leg) and Sophie Cunningham (right ankle) to injuries, which has left them with just eight available players ahead of their matchup with the Washington Mystics on Tuesday. 

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 contract(s) as soon as their non-replacement players are healthy. 

McDonald will be with the team for at least Tuesday's game against the Mystics, but her stay in Indiana will depend on when the Fever have 10 healthy players again. 

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

Jack Maloney

Clark's initial two-week timeline means the earliest she can return is June 10 versus the Atlanta Dream. As for Colson and Cunningham, Fever coach Stephanie White called them "day-to-day" after MRIs revealed neither had suffered a serious injury, but it's unclear when they will be ready to suit up. 

There's a good chance McDonald remains with the team through their game on Saturday at the Chicago Sky, but anything beyond that seems unlikely. 

McDonald, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft, was a surprise cut by the Los Angeles Sparks on the final day of training camp. While she's struggled to find her own offense at the professional level, McDonald averaged a career-high 3.7 assists per game last season, and is a fiesty perimeter defender. 

Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters on Sunday that the team was looking for a playmaker who could help "get everybody back to their natural positions" and also make an impact on the defensive end. That's exactly what they got in McDonald. 

"Always been impressed with her ability to defend, her activity level on the defensive end of the floor, her ability to get into the paint and make decisions once she gets there," White said after practice on Monday. "She's a true point guard. She brings that energy, she brings that ability to dictate."

White added that McDonald has impressed already in practice, and will see game time Tuesday, though the team will try to simplify things when she's on the court. 

The Fever's season began in thrilling fashion with a dominant win over the Chicago Sky, but since then they are just 1-4, and have lost three games in a row. Without Clark, they've looked completely out of sorts, and couldn't even beat the last-place Connecticut Sun, who followed up their win over the Fever with a 48-point loss to the New York Liberty. 

Tuesday night's matchup with the Mystics will be an opportunity for the Fever to get back on track, and they'll hope McDonald can help them do that.