Kelsey Mitchell supermax deal sets the tone for 2026 Fever

Zoom in: Kelsey Mitchell's groundbreaking one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract is the result of a new collective bargaining agreement reached by the league and the Women's National Basketball Players Association late last month.

• The seven-year agreement establishes the first comprehensive revenue-sharing model in women's professional sports and boosts the salary cap from $1.5 million to $7 million, allowing the first multimillion-dollar contracts in WNBA history.

How it works: Maximum-contract players will earn a salary of $1.4 million in 2026.

• That maximum is expected to exceed $2.4 million by 2032.
• The league's average salary is expected to be $583,000 in 2026 and to increase to more than $1 million by 2032.
• Minimum salaries will range from $270,000 to $300,000 in 2026 and from $340,000 to $380,000 by 2032.

By the numbers: According to Spotrac, Mitchell's deal is the most valuable announced so far.

• The collective bargaining agreement will also boost the salaries of the rest of the Fever's big three, taking 2023 Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston from annual earnings of $94,000 to $574,000 and 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark from $85,000 to $528,000.

Reality check: The WNBA-NBA pay gap remains wide, with the average NBA salary at $10.5 million.

Zoom out: The weekend hosted a flurry of Fever roster moves, including re-signing Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull and Damiris Dantas.

• The team added Indy native Tyasha Harris and veteran forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen.
• During Monday's WNBA Draft, the Fever selected South Carolina's Raven Johnson, Vanderbilt's Justine Pissott and Alabama's Jessica Timmons.
• This week also saw guards Kayana Traylor and Megan McConnell sign training-camp contracts.

Yes, but: Questions about Clark's health linger after a season of setbacks, but the superstar says she's 100% healthy going into the new season.

What's next: Training camp starts Sunday and preseason play begins April 25 against New York.

• The regular season opens May 9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against Dallas — a marquee showcase featuring the last four No. 1 overall picks.

Go deeper: Look inside the Indiana Fever's new practice facility