With no clear path of keeping standout hardship signee Aari McDonald to the roster, Indiana Fever fan may be dealt a tough blow just as the the team begins to find its rhythm.

Indiana Fever Star Sends Strong Message to Dawn Staley Amid Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Fever coach Stephanie White and reporter Lisa Salters are partners, and both have stepped away for unspecified personal matters.

However, there wasn't a close competition between which point guard made Indiana look sharper on the court. McDonald, a hardship exemption addition by the Fever after her surprise cut by the Los Angeles Sparks, is a perfect fit in Fever coach Stephanie White's system.

Yet injuries to key guards Caitlin Clark (quadriceps strain) and Sophie Cunningham (ankle) tested the depth of Indianapolis’s backcourt, forcing the franchise to dip into the WNBA ’s hardship exception to sign new talent.