Fever's Lexie Hull gets major contract update before busy WNBA free agency

Fever's Lexie Hull gets major contract update before busy WNBA free agency originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Indiana Fever and Lexie Hull could have more time together.

Hull is a free agent as part of the WNBA's huge class of available players this offseason, but there's a catch -- she's a restricted free agent. That means that Hull can negotiate with any other team, just like an unrestricted free agent. But the restricted part comes into play if Hull gets an actual offer.

If another WNBA team extends Hull an offer sheet, the Fever have the right of first refusal. They can match any offer sheet given to Hull and keep her. That's because the Fever did extend a qualifying offer to Hull earlier this week, according to the Indy Star .

Without a qualifying offer, Hull would've become an unrestricted free agent. With the qualifying offer, Hull seems likely to remain with the Fever unless another team makes her an unexpectedly large offer. Hull just completed her four-year rookie contract with the Fever after being the No.