Top 3 landing spots for Aari McDonald if Caitlin Clark's hardship contract replacement is not signed by the Fever

After the Indiana Fever lost Caitlin Clark to a quad injury on May 24, the team signed Aari McDonald to a rest-of-season hardship contract. The 26-year-old guard has played well in Clark's absence, but the return of Indiana's superstar could leave her on the free-agent market yet again.

McDonald was drafted in 2021 and spent the first three seasons of her career with the Atlanta Dream. After spending 2024 with the LA Sparks, the 5-foot-6 guard was a free agent before Indiana brought her in on June 1. In three games with the Fever, McDonald is averaging 11.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals. More importantly, Indiana is 2-1 with her in the lineup.

The Fever are targeting Saturday's game against the New York Liberty for Clark's return. When she comes back, the Fever will have 10 healthy players on their roster, which terminates McDonald's contract with the team. Hardship contracts give WNBA teams the ability to bring a player in without committing to them for the entire season when injuries arise.

While her contract does not guarantee her a roster spot, McDonald has put her skills on display for the rest of the league. If Indiana does not make space for her on their permanent roster, she could be signed by another team for the remainder of the season. There are squads around the league that could use a capable point guard off of the bench.

We ranked the top three teams that McDonald could join if she is a free agent at the beginning of next week.

#1 Chicago Sky

The Chicago Sky are 2-6 so far this season and are one of the worst offensive teams in the WNBA. Ariel Atkins leads the way on the perimeter, but Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso have underperformed early in their sophomore seasons. To make matters worse, the Sky lost their starting point guard, Courtney Vandersloot, to a torn ACL.

With Vandersloot out for the season, McDonald could come in and have an immediate impact for Sky coach Tyler Marsh. The veteran guard could play as the starting point guard or come off Chicago's bench, but her scoring helps replace what they lost when Vandersloot went down. Her arrival would take the pressure off Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse on the offensive end as well.

The Sky need help on both ends of the ball. Along with being the second-lowest scoring team in the league, Chicago allows the most points against them. McDonald's defensive skills on the perimeter help make up for the fact that she is under-sized, and the turnovers she generates could help kickstart what has been a lackluster transition game for Reese and the Sky this season.

#2 Dallas Wings

The Dallas Wings are 1-10, the worst mark in the league. After drafting Paige Bueckers to join All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale on the perimeter, fans had high hopes entering this season. Unfortunately, the gap between their top three players and the rest of their roster is a big one. McDonald presents an opportunity to bring in a competent backup point guard to replace Tyasha Harris.

Harris was the Wings' backup point guard who stepped into the starting role when Bueckers went out with a concussion. Now that the rookie is back, Wings coach Chris Koclanes needs another guard off the bench. McDonald has proven that she gives a team enough scoring and playmaking off the bench to help them survive the minutes their starter sits.

There is arguably no team in the league with a bigger spotlight on it than the Fever. Despite that, McDonald did not seem phased in any of the three Commissioner's Cup games she played in for Indiana. If she can maintain that confidence on the Wings' roster, she could help the team find some consistency and string wins together.

#3 Atlanta Dream

The Atlanta Dream are 6-3, the second-best record in the league behind the Liberty and Minnesota Lynx. With Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray leading the way, the Dream have enjoyed much success early in the season. One of the glaring weak points on the roster is their point guard play.

Atlanta drafted Te-Hina PaoPao from South Carolina to split time at point guard with Jordin Canada and Maya Mitchell. Unfortunately, none of the three has emerged as a clear option in the starting lineup. While Howard and Gray make up for the lack of scoring from their point guards, the Dream need a confident ball handler and opportunistic scorer alongside them.

McDonald did what Fever coach Stephanie White asked of her during her minutes. Whether it was playmaking for others or finding her shot in the course of the offense, the veteran guard found ways to contribute. Reuniting with the Dream would be a homecoming for her, but she still has a lot she can give to Atlanta as they contend near the top of the standings.