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The Indiana Fever are gearing up to secure a lucrative contract extension for Caitlin Clark, following their recent landmark deal with Aliyah Boston.
Boston, the first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, made history by becoming the highest-paid player in league history through a four-year, $6.3 million contract. Now, as Clark enters her third professional season, Indiana’s management is focused on retaining their star guard for the long term.
Fever general manager Amber Cox shared insights with the Indianapolis Star about the team’s strategy for Clark’s upcoming contract extension eligibility next offseason.
“We want those two around for their careers, the duration of their careers,” Cox said, referring to both Clark and Boston. She emphasized the advantages of the new collective bargaining agreement’s EPIC clause-Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract-which allows the team to plan further ahead compared to the previous system.
Under the old CBA, players would finish their rookie contracts and then face restricted free agency after just a couple of years. The EPIC clause, however, grants teams a longer runway to negotiate extensions before restricted free agency begins.
Boston became the first player in WNBA history to sign an extension under this EPIC clause after earning second-team All-WNBA honors in 2025. This achievement allowed her to renegotiate the fourth year of her rookie contract and add an extension, effectively bypassing restricted free agency.
Looking ahead, Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, is also eligible for an EPIC extension after making first-team All-WNBA as a rookie. This will enable the Fever to avoid restricted free agency and retain her services with a new contract.
Clark’s upcoming max contract is projected at around $1.3 million-approximately 17 percent of the Fever’s salary cap-with the potential for a supermax deal worth up to $1.7 million if she secures league MVP honors in 2026.
Together, Boston and Clark’s salaries are expected to consume roughly 37 to 40 percent of the Fever’s total salary cap next offseason. While this is a significant financial commitment, it underscores the team’s dedication to building around two of the WNBA’s brightest young stars.
Currently, Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings is the only other player eligible for an EPIC extension, having been named to the All-WNBA second team in 2025, though she won’t be eligible to re-sign until after the 2027 season.