Even though the WNBA season has yet to come to a conclusion, it is never too early for the eliminated teams to be preparing for next season. After a league-worst 5-31 mark, the Indiana Fever are making a much-needed change in their leadership ranks.
Interim head coach Carlos Knox will no longer be returning to the sidelines next season, the Fever announced, according to Tony East of The Next Hoops.
Carlos Knox will not be retained as Indiana Fever head coach next season, the Fever announced. The Fever are beginning a search for a new head coach. @TheNextHoops
— Tony East (@TEastNBA) August 31, 2022
Knox took over for Marianne Stanley in late May after the first nine games of the season. The Fever were 2-7 at the time of her firing, with Knox taking over the interim role.
Things obviously didn't get any better. When a team wins only 14 percent of their games, it's hard to pin the blame solely on one person. But it was clear that a new coach is needed.
The Fever finished last this past season in both offensive and defensive Rating, scoring only 95.2 and allowing 108.1 points per 100 possessions. It's difficult to win games when you can't put the ball in the hoop and other teams just waltz into the paint like a layup line.
It's not as if the Fever are totally devoid of any talent. Guard Kelsey Mitchell averaged 18.4 points and 4.2 assists while shooting a stellar 41% from 3-point land on 5.7 attempts per game. One could argue that Mitchell was putting up empty stats, but she's the only reliable scoring option for the Fever. Unfortunately, she suffered a torn plantar fascia in her left foot, which forced her to miss the final five games of the past season.
Whomever the Fever end up hiring as head coach will face a tall task ahead in rebuilding the worst team in the WNBA. The Fever must take their time, assess all their options and take no shortcuts as the road ahead is a tough one.
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