Indiana Fever trade Danielle Robinson to Atlanta Dream for Kristy Wallace

The Fever announced the move on Friday. The deal comes just over a week before the WNBA negotiating period begins for free agents.

Robinson spent the last two seasons with Indiana. Former general manager Tamika Catchings inked the veteran point guard to a three-year contract in 2021, and Robinson played in 55 games for the Fever across the last two seasons, averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 assists per game.

“Danielle has been a remarkable player for us, a leader on the court who always demonstrated a passion for our community, too,” Fever interim general manager Lin Dunn said, in part, in a team-issued statement.

Robinson added more to Indiana than her stats suggested, though. As a former three-time All-Star and an 11-year pro, the California native was an important veteran for a young group. She was looking forward to growing as a leader prior to last season, and she was a key chemistry piece for the new-look roster.

Down the stretch of the 2022 campaign, rookie point guard Destanni Henderson began to get more opportunities to run the show for the Fever. She averaged more minutes per game (24.3) than Robinson (22.3) over Indiana’s final six games. Now, with an offseason under her belt and Robinson in Atlanta, Henderson is positioned for a bigger role in 2023. She has already been working with new Fever head coach Christie Sides in Indianapolis.

Speaking of Sides, she spent last season in Atlanta as an assistant coach, so she knows Wallace’s game well. The Australian off-ball guard comes from a Dream team that pressured opponents with pesky defense, and Wallace played a significant role in Atlanta taking on that identity. She is a solid on-ball defender, which the Fever need more of, and she shot 36.8% from long range during her rookie season. If she can continue to be an off-ball three-and-D piece in year two, she will fit a need for the Fever.

The 27-year-old Wallace was selected in the second round of the 2018 WNBA draft but didn’t come to the league until 2022. She has experience with the Australian Opals squad and played college basketball at Baylor University under head coach Kim Mulkey.

Wallace averaged 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 2022. She had a 15-point outing against the Fever in May.

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“Kristy has demonstrated true resilience and real success at every step of her career, and the toughness and experience she brings will be incredibly important to our team this season,” Sides said in a team-issued statement.

The Fever still could use more off-ball guard and wing depth in free agency, but trading away Robinson means that point guard is also a position of need now.