Candace Buckner trends amid Sophie Cunningham free agency controversy
Search interest in Candace Buckner is tied to new reporting on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham's free agency and GM Amber Cox's comments about her future.
Why Candace Buckner is trending
Candace Buckner's name is trending in search right now, and the interest traces back to fresh coverage of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham's free agency situation. The reporting driving that coverage comes from Just Women's Sports, which detailed comments from Fever general manager Amber Cox about Cunningham's future with the team.
Here is what is confirmed. Cunningham, 30, signed a one-year deal to return to Indiana ahead of the 2026 season after previously pushing back on her contract offer. That deal is now expiring, and she enters the league's free agency period as an unrestricted free agent. What is not known yet is whether Indiana will re-sign her or what a new deal might look like. The next step is free agency negotiations once her window opens in January.
What the Fever GM said
Asked whether Cunningham's media controversy would factor into the team's evaluation of her, Cox answered in one word: "No." Beyond that short response, Cox said Cunningham is "a really solid leader" and "a great connector," someone who brings both levity and experience to the locker room when the team needs it.
On the business side, Cox said Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent and that the two sides look forward to having those conversations. Cox did not commit to a deal or lay out a timeline beyond that.
The free agency picture
Cunningham's production dipped in the second half of the 2026 season, according to the report. Indiana is also facing the possibility that Kelsey Mitchell could leave in free agency, which the report says could push the Fever to look for more firepower on offense. Those two situations, Cunningham's own market and Mitchell's potential exit, are tangled together as Indiana works out its offseason plan.
What happens next
If Cunningham does not return to Indiana, the report states she could have a hard time finding a new home in the league. Her comments expressing anti-trans sentiment about athletes have drawn rallies and protests at Fever road games, and the report says that reaction could limit interest from other teams once free agency opens.
Nothing is settled as of now. Cunningham remains with Indiana on an expiring deal, Cox has left the door open without making promises, and the rest of this story plays out once the free agency period formally begins in January.
Facts per Just Women's Sports. Opinion is the taproom's.