The Indiana Fever announced Sunday they're moving on from head coach Christie Sides.

"We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth," president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said.

"While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future."

Sides guided the Fever to a 20-20 record and their first playoff appearance since 2016 this season.

Despite the Fever's success, they telegraphed her ouster by weighing up her potential replacement before she was actually out the door. The Chicago Sun-Times' Annie Costabile reported on Wednesday that Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White was garnering interest from Indiana.

White played for the Fever for four seasons and then coached the team in 2015 and 2016, leading them to the 2015 WNBA Finals. She has plenty of familiarity with the franchise. Her stock has never been higher, either, after the Connecticut Sun went 55-25 with her at the helm for the past two years.

Bringing White back to Indianapolis would be a major win for the franchise and a sign of ambition. However, the process by which she was courted and eventually hired might renew concerns that the front office still can't get out of its own way, even with a new general manager (Amber Cox) installed.

That Sides was fired at all on the heels of making the postseason speaks to how much the perception of the Fever has changed.

During its seven-year playoff drought, Indiana registered a single-digit win total five times. A succession of lottery picks yielded little in terms of value or a long-term vision.

The pendulum started to shift with the selection of Aliyah Boston with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Boston was an All-Star and the unanimous Rookie of the Year winner in her first year, and she represented the kind of cornerstone the Fever lacked for a long time.

Winning the 2024 draft lottery then supercharged the rebuild as they earned the right to pick Caitlin Clark. Clark shook off a slow start to live up to her sky-high expectations. She averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists, setting a slew of league and franchise records.

Thanks to the combined presence of Boston and Clark, the Fever arguably have the most attractive vacancy in a crowded coaching carousel.

That will carry big demands for Sides' successor. The 2025 season isn't shaping up as a championship-or-bust year for Indiana, but the organization clearly isn't content with just getting into the playoffs anymore.