After a disappointing first-round performance, the Fever are shaking up their front office, highlighted by the firing of general manager Amber Cox.
The Indiana Fever are firing general manager Amber Cox, multiple sources with knowledge of the decision told The Athletic on condition of anonymity to protect their relationship.
The Fever confirmed the news of Cox’s departure on Friday evening.
The move comes on the same day president Kelly Krauskopf announced he will step down as team president through the end of the 2026 regular season. Krauskopf returned to his position in 2024 after moving to the Pacers’ front office in 2018.
“It was an honor and a privilege to help build and run the Indiana Fever with the support and trust of Herb Simon,” Krauskopf said in a team release. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities, relationships and shared accomplishments that have shaped my time with this organization. The Fever is poised for an exciting future and I am proud to have helped lay the foundation for its continued growth and success. I will always cherish my time with Pacers Sports and Entertainment and the people who made it so meaningful.”
Notably, one of his biggest front office moves was the hiring of Cox from the Dallas Wings front office. The new front office immediately replaced the roster with the trio of Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark for the 2024 season. Injuries meant they rarely shared the floor that season, but the Fever still advanced to the playoff semifinals and took the eventual champion Aces to overtime in a do-or-die Game 5.
Last offseason, the Fever made several notable swings and misses in free agency. After navigating the uncertain waters of the new CBA along with the rest of the league, the Fever gave Monique Billings a $1.6 million deal over two years and a series of deals that didn’t work out, including big deals for Tyasha Harris ($400,000) and Myisha Hines-Allen ($315,000).
By the end of the season, none of the trio started and were relegated to short-term appearances off the bench. For the second year in a row, the Fever were eliminated from the playoffs against the Aces, this time in the first round.
The concussion comes before a big season for Indiana. Mitchell is set for unrestricted free agency with the Fever, a mechanism used to keep him each of the past two seasons. Clark is also eligible for the EPIC extension the team signed last season in Boston.
Many eyes will now turn to head coach Stephanie White, who Krauskopf and Cox hired in the first offseason. White has a very vocal supporter in Clark, but it’s also clear with the team cleaning house ahead of an important offseason.