Sophie Cunningham drew a lot of attention after she made an honest admission about her new Indiana Fever contract. The 6-foot-1 guard revealed on the latest episode of her “Show Me Something” podcast that her new deal failed to meet her expectations now that a new collective bargaining agreement is in place.
Cunningham’s comments generated so much buzz that she had to clarify her statement. According to the 29-year-old, money was not the issue. What she wanted was a longer deal than the one-year contract she signed.
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Cunningham explained that she wants to stay in Indiana for the long haul.
Fever general manager Amber Cox spoke to the press on Wednesday during the team’s media day. Cox was asked about the front office’s decision on Cunningham’s new contract. However, the high-ranking team executive refused to address the issue directly.
“I’m not going to really get into anybody’s individual negotiations,” Cox said. “But what I’ll say is, I think again, it’s a credit to this group wanting to be together that really helped us bring the core back quickly and then add those complimentary pieces.
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“From a front office standpoint, we’re obviously planning for this season, but we have to look long term, too.”
Cox pointed out that there are many moving parts to consider in the wake of the new CBA. She also highlighted other player contracts, including Aliyah Boston’s record-breaking four-year, $6.3 million deal.
“There are some things that decisions that we have to make right now because they’re impacting what we need to do against a hard cap in the future,” Cox continued. “We’ve got some new wrinkles in the CBA that we have to account for.
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“Obviously, Aliyah moving into her EPIC deal. So we just want to be really smart in how we’re thinking about the future and also, obviously, making us the best that we can be this season.”
Either way, Cunningham is expected to play a key role for the Fever this coming season as she returns from a major knee injury. However, what the future holds for her beyond 2026 remains to be seen.
Related: Sophie Cunningham Has Big Plans for Indiana Fever Teammates
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.