Indiana Fever announce Amber Cox’s departure in front-office shakeup

Two leadership changes in one day

The Indiana Fever announced Friday that Amber Cox is departing as chief operating officer and general manager. The announcement followed team president Kelly Krauskopf’s decision to step down earlier the same day, leaving two senior leadership roles to be filled as Indiana begins its offseason. ^{[1] [2]}

The team described Cox’s exit as a departure. The Associated Press, citing a person familiar with the move, reported that she had been fired, while Reuters reported that Cox was let go. The public announcement did not give a reason, so the circumstances behind the decision remain unclear. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

National search begins

Cox joined Indiana in 2024, replacing Lin Dunn in the combined general manager and COO role. Krauskopf, who was involved in Cox’s hiring, said her own decision had been made before the end of the regular season. The club announced the two departures separately. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Pacers Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Mel Raines said a national search is underway for the vacant positions. The changes come as the Fever prepare for offseason roster decisions, including guard Kelsey Mitchell’s unrestricted free agency and Caitlin Clark’s eligibility for an extension under the league’s EPIC provision. ^{[3] [4]}

Indiana has not announced who will take over Cox’s responsibilities or a timetable for completing the searches. Until the team provides more detail, the reason for Cox’s departure and the structure of the next basketball leadership group remain open questions. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

The Fever’s announcement establishes the leadership vacancy but does not establish misconduct, a performance dispute or any other cause. Reporting that the move was a firing is attributed to the outlets that described it that way. The organization’s next appointment will determine how its basketball and business duties are divided. ^{[1] [3] [4]}