This offseason, the Fever added players like Sophie Cunningham, DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and more. The final roster had five point guards and seven forwards. With big names like Bonner, Clark, and Aliyah Boston, the team looked complete and laser-focused on one goal. As Clark herself said, the aim was simple: “a championship title.” That’s why even WNBA analysts and fans alike predicted the Fever to be legitimate playoff contenders this season.
And at the heart of it were two veterans bringing not just hardware, but the kind of locker-room leadership and postseason poise the Fever have sorely lacked. Even ESPN analyst Kevin Pelton captured the impact and wrote: “Suddenly, a team with minimal playoff experience has two multiple-time champions who happen to fit neatly in the two weakest spots in their starting five.” Well, that’s not just a roster upgrade, it’s a transformation.
Natasha Howard, returning to the team that originally drafted her, brought championship DNA and two-way versatility. A former Defensive Player of the Year, Howard was expected to fill a major gap in Indiana’s frontcourt, offering the kind of rim protection and rebounding that allows young stars like Aliyah Boston and Clark to thrive.
Meanwhile, DeWanna Bonner’s six All-Star nods and two championship rings make her one of the most seasoned scorers in the game. And that’s why, despite the tensions between Bonner and Clark during last season’s heated playoff bout, CC got all the roses for her. “They know what it takes to win, they know what it takes to get to the Finals, they know what it takes to win championships,” she said of Bonner and Howard. “It’s exactly what we needed in our locker room… they’re not just really good basketball players, they’re great leaders and great people.”
And when you look at the Fever’s core, Clark, Boston, Kelsey Mitchell with Bonner and Howard into the mix, it’s easy to see why Pelton concluded, “Indiana now looks like one of the top four teams in the WNBA.” For a franchise that ended a seven-year playoff drought just last season, it’s huge. Did it really stay that way, though? Not really. Those same offseason additions are under the fans’ radar now.
Lately, though, it has all been about Bonner, who’s been out of action due to personal reasons and after posting career lows. The Twitter world has been focused solely on updates around her, especially now that FOS revealed how insiders think she is set to leave for Mercury or Dream. But she’s not the only one in the spotlight. Even Natasha Howard is starting to draw attention, for the wrong reasons. Right after reports of Bonner’s absence surfaced, Howard shared a cryptic post on social media featuring lyrics from rapper 42 Dugg’s song “We Not Done.”
Natasha Howard’s IG story #FeverRising|#WNBA| #Hawkeyes|#YesCers |#NBAPlayoffs| pic.twitter.com/ygmBHXNhyv
— Krysta (@Krysta____) June 24, 2025
You might be thinking, what’s so huge about it? Well, read the lyrics she posted then, “We not done, still running through the bows. Who shot cuz? I think I know who did it. Who shot? Yeah, one of my [expletive]. We not done, yeah, we not done spinning. We not done, yeah, I bet not catch you chilling.” While it’s unclear what exactly Howard meant or who the message was directed at, fans have formed their own theories. Was it towards the demands that they have been making or towards Bonner herself? Whatever the case, something’s definitely brewing behind the scenes.
Is Howard clapping back at fans’ demand?
Since the Fever are failing, many have started criticizing Coach Stephanie White’s strategies. And for them, it’s not just on the head coach; it’s also about the veteran presence on the roster. So, lately, they have been asking the team to release Howard and Bonner. “Y’all can talk about the coaching all you want, but the biggest problem for the Fever is the acquisitions of Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner. They were supposed to take this team to the next level and have both sucked,” penned a spectator.
Just consider Bonner’s scoring drop. She’s averaging just 7.1 points and 3.8 rebounds over 9 games, which is nearly a 50% decline from her career regular-season averages of 14.8 PPG and 6.1 RPG. And it doesn’t stop there. She’s shooting 34.5% from the field and just 36.0% from three-point range, well below expectations for a veteran scorer. She also experienced a rotational demotion, starting only 3 of the first 9 games before being moved to the bench, an indication of her underwhelming performance.
“They gave DeWanna Bonner a max contract who can’t play atm. They gave Bri Turner a vet contract, who just sucks. They gave Natasha Howard a max contract who has been ok to average. None of them space the floor, none of them have been able to play w/ Dantas, none of them have,” added another user. Well, Howard is no different, as she has also seen a noticeable dip in her production.
credit – Imagnhttps://www.essentiallysports.com/wnba-basketball-news-dewanna-bonner-considering-retirement-after-falling-behind-caitlin-clark-co-per-wnba-analyst/
Last season with the Wings, Howard averaged 30.5 minutes, 17.6 points, and 6.7 rebounds. But this season with the Fever, not only has her court time dropped, but so have her numbers. She’s now averaging 11.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. Yet, that’s not even the worst part. Fans think Howard is extremely selfish on the court and that she needs to stop dropping Clark’s passes. “Nobody wants to watch this boring, slow basketball. Fire the coach, let Bri Turner, Natasha Howard, Sydney Colson, and DeWanna Bonner go—worst offseason moves ever. Get Aari McDonald back and anyone with a heartbeat who can run the floor and catch a pass,” voiced another frustrated fan.
And yes, there’s no denying that coaching is part of the issue, too. White hasn’t been able to find functional rotations. Even with Caitlin Clark out, she stuck with Colson and Cunningham, but neither delivered. And now that Clark is back, fans still have White under scrutiny for Clark’s recent cold shooting streak. After all, we’ve seen Clark hit deep threes from nearly 33 feet, but in the last three games, she’s struggled—going 0-7 and 1-10 from beyond the arc, which is just 22 feet. So it’s no surprise fans are calling for White’s job, hoping Lisa Bluder will take over instead. But again, fans think if the coach listens, all should be well.
“Makayla Timpson should be playing today. The Fever are afraid to admit that signing Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner was a mistake. They’re just in the way, but now they have to force playing Howard to justify the signing. Clark, Mitchell, Hull, Timpson, Boston,” penned another user. And there’s a reason behind that comment. Despite showcasing elite defensive potential in college, including 3.1 blocks per game, Timpson is averaging just 0.6 points and 0.4 rebounds in 1 minute per game for the Fever. Well, that’s not just underutilization, it’s borderline neglect.
“Then how Aari McDonald’s played better than the players who are actually with the Fever? How are these players just taking up the salary cap space?” added another user. Even Reddit users have echoed this sentiment, calling Timpson “third-string” and pointing out how the team continues to prioritize experience over upside, even with a slim 11-player roster.
And here’s where the critique hits hardest, as fans feel the Fever front office is unwilling to admit that the Howard and Bonner signings were missteps. So yes, the evidence suggests a forced rotation, where veterans are being played not because they’re outperforming others, but to justify the contracts they were given. And unfortunately, that’s stunting the growth of younger talent like Timpson, who might actually be able to make a difference. So, this post seems like Howard’s way of telling the doubters and critics that she’s still got plenty left in the tank, that there’s a lot more she plans to show on the court this season.
But, on the other hand, it’s hard not to wonder if that message was also meant for DB. It’s because while Bonner is choosing to leave Indiana, as FOS reported and many are convinced, Howard stayed behind, holding it down as the face of the squad, at least in the eyes of some fans. So, is she saying that she’s not going to bail like DB did? Well, whether it was a shot, a subtle reminder, or just pure motivation, there’s definitely more behind that post than meets the eye.
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