Indiana Fever Hire Sheri Sam as Assistant GM as Free Agency and Salary Cap Challenges Loom

The Indiana Fever made a front-office move on Friday, Oct. 30, hiring former WNBA player Sheri Sam as assistant general manager. The hire comes before the team has even named a new general manager, and it puts an early focus on scouting ahead of what could be a tricky 2027 offseason.

Who is Sheri Sam?

Sam played 10 seasons in the WNBA. Since 2022, she has been the scouting manager for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, according to Sports Illustrated and High Post Hoops. ESPN also reported the hire, citing a source.

The Fever also hired Vernard Hollins as a scout, Sports Illustrated reported. Hollins has extensive experience playing overseas, which could help with international scouting.

A hire before a GM

The timing is unusual. The Fever recently fired general manager Amber Cox and have not yet named a replacement. Mel Raines, president and CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, is reportedly calling the shots for now, according to Sports Illustrated.

High Post Hoops called it “a pretty non-traditional move” to hire an assistant GM without a GM in place, but said it shows the team following through on plans to invest more in evaluation and scouting.

The Fever’s free agency challenges

Indiana’s core is set. Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are the franchise’s building blocks. The harder part is fitting talent around them under a tight salary cap.

• Kelsey Mitchell: The first major free agency decision is the star guard’s future, Sports Illustrated reported. If she returns, cap space will be scarce.
• Caitlin Clark’s next deal: Clark is eligible for a raise under the new collective bargaining agreement’s Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) provision. Whether she takes the full amount is unclear, though she has hinted she might be willing to sacrifice to help the team, according to SI. High Post Hoops said the provision could pay her up to $1.3 million for 2027.
• Existing contracts: Lexie Hull and Monique Billings are under contract on deals well above the league average, SI noted. High Post Hoops estimated that, after current commitments, Indiana could have around $3 million left to fill out the rest of the roster. Those figures are the outlet’s estimates, not team numbers.

That is why scouting matters. With much of the roster likely made up of near-minimum salaries, finding undervalued talent through the college draft, overseas leagues and overlooked players could be critical, SI wrote.

What’s next for the Fever

The biggest open question is who will take over as general manager. Whoever it is will inherit what SI called the most high-profile job in women’s basketball, along with a fresh scouting staff already at work on the 2027 roster.

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