After four seasons with the Chicago Sky forward Elena Delle Donne wants out.
December 17, 2016
What is it about Chicago and the WNBA? Why can’t Chicago keep their Star Players in the Windy City? Can’t blame it on the weather; the weather in Chicago in the summer is amazing! Violence? No issues ever reported. Winning? They played in the 2014 WNBA finals… So what is it? Delle Donne isn’t the first superstar to bolt from All-State’s empty arena. It started with Candice Dupree who left after four seasons with the Sky. Third pick Kristi Toliver was next to sever ties with the Sky after only a single season with the team. Epiphanny Prince was traded to the NY Liberty after five seasons with the Sky but she also wanted out. In 2015 Sylvia Fowles said she would rather NOT play in the WNBA than to play for the Chicago Sky and that she did until she was traded to the Minnesota Lynx. Now Delle Donne; Olympic champion, WNBA MVP, scoring leader and All-Star hinted at her desire to suit up for another WNBA team in the near future. In an interview with VICE SPORTS, Delle Donne said that she would come to a decision soon about where she wants to play next, and is prepared to sit out the 2017 season if necessary to facilitate a move to her preferred destination.
This has to be an eerie feeling for the Sky who dealt with the same issue in 2015 before dealing Fowles to the Minnesota Lynx. Delle Donne has the star power and the skills to make any team attempt to give up their entire roster for a chance to secure arguably the best forward in the WNBA. Will the Sky do like the Lakers did in 2007 when Kobe Bryant demanded to be traded? A deal never worked out and Bryant went on to win two more titles with the Lakers after bringing in Pau Gasol. Are the Sky simply one player away from winning a championship? At this point I don’t think that even matters. Delle Donne is out of Chicago.
“Some things will be moving forward for me,” Delle Donne said about the off-season ahead. “I’ve loved playing with my teammates. There’s a great group of young women there. And hopefully with Amber [Stocks, whom the Sky named head coach on Tuesday] and a new system, it’ll be great for them. But for me, wherever I end up, I’ll be ready to play basketball.”
Her words are already removed from what the Sky have going on. If this were the NBA it wouldn’t be such a huge deal but this is the WNBA and its rare that a player of this caliber changes teams. That has to be crushing to the Sky organization who have done everything in their power to make the Sky visible in Chicago and competitive in the league. However, something is missing and we want to know what it is. Players don’t leave organizations just because. Yes all players want a chance to win a championship but any team Delle Donne is on has a real chance at winning one. One thing Delle Donne can look forward to after leaving the Sky is winning a championship. Dupree, Fowles and Toliver have all won championships since leaving Chicago. Delle Donne is a restricted free agent this year which means that she can entertain offers from other teams but the Sky have the chance to match any offer she receives which they certainly will. Perhaps they will make a trade. I can think of a few deals that could work out in their favor assuming they have no other choice. The Washington Mystics or the NY Liberty could be Delle Donne’s next stop. She would be closer to home and her family who she is extremely close with. Washington would be ideal! Anytime the Sky play at the Verizon Center Delle Donne’s fans from Delaware show up in droves to support their the former fighting Blue Hen. Even if neither one of those teams are her next destination, I’m sorry to break the news to you Sky fans, but Chicago definitely will not be it.
Let us know what you think in the comments…
Trade option… Delle Donne to Washington for Emma Messemen, Taylor Hill and the #2 Draft pick???
OR Delle Donne to San Antonio for Moriah Jefferson, Dearica Hamby and the #1 Pick??
Delle Donne to Washington for Emma Messerman and Taylor Hill and # 2 Draft pick will no doubt happen.. meh2490.
That would be the perfect trade. One that makes sense. However, is Washington willing to give up their leader Messeman and a Hill who had a breakout season in 2016. They should, but we shall see.
Why would Delle Donne want to play for the Mystics when they’re about to move into an arena smaller than the one she played in at Delaware?
A smaller arena (Brand new, state of the art) in DC will still be much better than what they were playing in in Chicago.
Sure so would a High School gym, that’s the point, Chicago has nothing to offer !!!
I’m a mercury fan, wow if she ends up there they will win it all next year. But Delle Donne rather play close to home.
only way this ends well for the sky is if they somehow dogleg a deal with other players involved to bring Diggins to Chicago IMHO
as for the Libs…did out of fairness put up some ideas…Think they have more Chips than Washington and there is the Arena issue (but would Terrible Ted just sell the team to interests in Deleware or Philadelphia in that case?) But for the record DO NOT WANT….she’d have to move to 3, interigrate into a much more physical system and the expectation…pass fail WNBA Championship…Plus you have Prince who forced her way out of Chicago and also still a looming behind the scenes presence of Swin Cash…yet ANOTHER Chicago Sky malcontent (geez they really DO grow on trees, don’t they!) It’s tempting because the Libs have better chips (Fellow RFA Sugar Rodgers who likely would be mandatory in any deal for cap reasons, and packagable prospects in Stokes, boyd, Allen, Zahui B. and in a deep situation given Rodgers’s RFA status, could ask Prince if she wants to play with Cappie Pondexter in CHI as part of a package)
Meesaman may be untouchable or at best like for like…workable if Thiebault is willing to part, Dolson is Redundant because of Boyette both being hard defensive 5s. That leaves Hill, the 2 pick and lesser prospects like Copper….and in this draft pick…the 2 likely doesn’t eclipse high upside players entering year 3 as much as you’d think (Which NYL has 3.5 of (the half being Allen who has only played half a season but has been a lib for 2 years)
hadn’t thought about Diggins which would make great sense since Diggins went to school not too far from Chicago and is also from the that part of the country. Doubt that Dallas is willing to let her go but yes this would be the only way the Chicago can save face for this departure.
Why is everyone fleeing Chicago. Do they want to win a championship. You loose EDD then you should circle the wagons because your team is gonna suck. Too many players have left. What the F is the problem there.
The team is not going to suck because you’re losing one player. They made it to the semi finals last year without Elena. One player doesn’t make a whole team.
Great point! But having a player with the talents of Delle Donne takes a team to another level.
trying to figure that out too!
Whatever happens I’m gonna be Petty and say make her wait untlil all-star break like Fowles…no way will you get whole season to mesh with another team…lol
Wish her all the best though…
Even after Chicago waited they basically handed Minnesota the championship with her addition. lol
Come to New York, Elena!
What could they give up in exchange?
Sparks !!!
How is this for guessing??? Diggens or Jefferson or other PTG to the SKY along with high draft pick. for EDD. THEN Vandersloot to Seattle (her home town area) to fit Bird’s retirement next year, for high pick.. Gonzaga fan base here in Washington would celebrate for months. GO ZAGS
Indiana fever. One great one retired and she could fill a void left by Catching. It would be interesting.