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With the WNBA offseason here, the impending status of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has become a huge subject of discussion amongst fans, media, and analysts across the basketball community. Just days after the season ended, the Indiana Fever\u2019s general manager\/COO Amber Cox sat down with the media to discuss the roster and Cunningham as she prepares for unrestricted free agency.<\/strong><\/p>\n Cunningham was once again at the center of headlines and public discussion over season about talking outside the game. Asked point-blank if outside distractions and media surrounding the comments would affect the organization in its assessment of Cunningham, Cox replied quickly and simply: \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018The front office evaluates the players on what they do for us on the floor and within our culture, not by what they read in the media cycles,\u2019 Cox said.<\/p>\n Though leaving flexibility in negotiation of the contract, Cox said he was impressed by Cunningham\u2019s competitiveness and veteran presence on the roster.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom a shooting aspect, Sophie\u2019s had two really productive years for us,\u201d Cox said. \u201cShe is a really good, solid locker room leader. She is a good connector. She brings a lot of levity, but brings a lot of experience. She\u2019s serious and can be a good voice in our locker room when we really need to lock in.\u201d<\/p>\n Cunningham re-upped on a one-year contract to return to Indiana for the season, where she enjoyed a solid season as a dependable perimeter shooter and veteran presence. Her contract has since expired, making her an unrestricted free agent free to seek out her future NBA home.<\/p>\n Cox also acknowledged that it is still very early in the course of the offseason, and real negotiations between the club and Cunningham\u2019s agents haven\u2019t gotten that far yet.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll look forward to having those discussions,\u201d Cox said, \u201cbecause she\u2019s an unrestricted free agent. Again, she had a very, very good year. We\u2019ll see where things lead. Again, it\u2019s very, very early, and we\u2019ve got some time before free agency.\u201d<\/p>\n With the Fever assessing their needs-from frontcourt depth to scoring from the defensive wing positions-Cunningham\u2019s next move with the Fever will be among the top plot lines heading into the WNBA offseason.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nEvaluating Performance Over Outside Noise<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Locker Room Leadership & On-Court Results<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Future of Free Agency:<\/strong><\/h2>\n