Indiana Fever fire general manager Amber Cox amid front office shakeup

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 04: Amber Cox of the Indiana Fever talks to the media during Stephanie White's introductory press conference on November 4, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images Following a disappointing first round exit, the Fever are shaking up their front office, highlighted by the firing of general manager Amber Cox. As reported by Annie Costabile of The Athletic, the Fever and Cox, who served as both general manager and chief operating officer, will part ways. The Indiana Fever are firing general manager Amber Cox, multiple sources who have knowledge of the decision told The Athletic on the condition of anonymity to protect their relationships. The move comes the same day president Kelly Krauskopf announced she would be stepping down as team president, a decision she made prior to the end of the 2026 regular season. Krauskopf returned to the role in 2024 after transitioning to the Pacers’ front office in 2018. “It has been an honor and a privilege to help build and steward the Indiana Fever with the support and trust of Herb Simon,” Krauskopf said in a statement released by the team. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities, relationships, and shared accomplishments that have shaped my time with this organization. The Fever is poised for an exciting future, and I am proud to have helped lay the foundation for its continued growth and success. I will always cherish my time with Pacers Sports and Entertainment and the people who made it so meaningful.” Notably, one of her biggest front office moves was the hiring of Cox from the Dallas Wings front office. The new front front office immediately reshaped the roster around the trio of Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark in the 2024 offseason. Injuries meant they rarely shared the floor that season, but the Fever still advanced to the semi-finals of the playoffs and took the eventual champion Aces to overtime in a do-or-die Game 5. This past offseason, though, the Fever had a number of notable swings and misses in free agency. After navigating the uncertain waters of the new CBA along with the rest of the league, the Fever handed out a host of contracts that did not work out, including a $1.6 million deal over two years to Monique Billings and large deals to Tyasha Harris ($400,000) and Myisha Hines-Allen ($315,000). By season’s end, none of the trio was starting and were relegated to brief appearances off the bench. The Fever bowed out of the playoffs against the Aces for the second year in a row, this time in the first round. The shakeup comes ahead of a major offseason for Indiana. Mitchell is set for unrestricted free agency with the Fever unable to core her, the mechanism used to retain her each of the last two offseasons. Clark is also eligible for an EPIC extension, which the team inked Boston to last offseason. Many eyes will now shift to head coach Stephanie White, whom Krauskopf and Cox hired in their first offseason. White has a very vocal supporter in Clark, but it’s also clear with the team is clearing house ahead of an important offseason.