Fever make most of DeWanna Bonner situation by re-signing hardship exception standout

Guards Caitlin Clark, Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham all suffered injuries in early June, putting the team below 10 healthy players and allowing it to sign McDonald.

In three games with the Fever, McDonald, 26, averaged 11 points, three assists and two steals per game. She shot 42.9 percent, including 37.5 percent from three-point range, in 25.3 minutes per game. Indiana went 2-1 in her three appearances.

While McDonald doesn't have the stature of Bonner, a six-time All-Star and likely future Hall of Famer, she makes up for it as a more seamless fit in Indiana.

McDonald has primarily come off the bench during her career, with 29 starts in 119 career games. She'll be much more comfortable in a secondary role than Bonner, whose benching after three games this season prompted her to request an exit.

McDonald is also a better fit in the Fever's timeline, closer in age to Indiana's young stars, including Clark and Aliyah Boston, both 23.

Bonner's unceremonious exit could have been another setback for an Indiana squad expected to contend for a WNBA title before the season began. 

The Fever have gotten off to a mediocre 7-7 start. Over Clark's last three games, the 2024 Rookie of the Year is shooting 27.7 percent, including 4.3 percent (1-of-23) from beyond the arc.

While the season hasn't gone as smoothly as Indiana may have anticipated, McDonald has been a diamond in the rough. With her return to the Fever, Bonner's departure could end up being a blessing.