"A lot of uncertainty": Lexie Hull gets honest on Fever future ahead of restricted free agency

The Indiana Fever will see one of their core players, Lexie Hull, enter free agency next offseason. Hull emerged as a reliable 3-and-D specialist and built a solid reputation within the organization, forming an excellent bond with all players in the locker room.

While her preference is to return to Indiana, Hull hasn't ruled out a move due to the uncertainty of restricted free agency. Here's what she said on Thursday during the Fever's season-ending exit interviews (h/t Fever reporter Brian Haenchen):

"I’m a restricted free agent, which changes things a bit, but I’ve loved my years here in Indiana. Obviously with a lot of uncertainty, you don’t know what’s to come, but I’ve built a life here. I love this franchise. I love the people, the fans, so we’ll see."

hank 🇰🇷 👻

@Brian_Haenchen

Lexie Hull: “I’m a restricted free agent, which changes things a bit, but I’ve loved my years here in Indiana. Obviously with a lot of uncertainty, you don’t know what’s to come, but I’ve built a life here. I love this franchise. I love the people, the fans, so we’ll see.”

The Indiana Fever's top priority is to re-sign Kelsey Mitchell. They can only allocate a certain amount of money to their top players, so there's a chance they may not be able to match Lexie Hull's demands. It'll be interesting to see how the new CBA shapes up, too, as it could impact Hull and every other free agent's next contract.

Fever's Lexie Hull on CBA negotiations

Hull has been vocal about the CBA negotiations. She believes it's an exciting time for players to be drivers of the league's growth. However, the WNBA doesn't see it the same way. Hull is hopeful the leadership aligns with the players' thought process and values their contributions to the league.

"We're still headed forward and up," she said on Thursday. "The growth of the sport has shown you can't set a bar because we continue to reach farther and expand. It's so exciting to be a player at this pivotal time in the sport.

"I'm really hopeful that we will be valued, especially with the CBA negotiations coming up. We'll see how the league values us as players and drivers of the growth."

hank 🇰🇷 👻

@Brian_Haenchen

Lexie Hull on growth of the game, CBA negotiations: “We’ll see how the league values us as players and as drivers of that growth.”

Meanwhile, Lexie Hull's teammate Kelsey Mitchell seemed less optimistic. While discussing her future, Mitchell questioned whether there would be a league to play in after the CBA negotiations ended.

Sophie Cunningham raised more concerns, suggesting there's a possibility of a lockout after the WNBA returned without improved offers.