Months of speculation concerning the destination of Elena Delle Donne can come to an end as reports are saying the former league MVP will be traded to the Washington Mystics.
In exchange for Delle Donne, the Chicago Sky will receive Stefanie Dolson, Kaleah Cooper, who was last year’s No. 7 overall in the WNBA Draft as well as the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s Draft.
The deal will be made official this upcoming Wednesday when players are able to sign with new teams.
Delle Donne played her entire career with the Chicago Sky ever since entering the WNBA and has established herself as one of the league’s best players as well as one of its most marketable. There were multiple reports shortly after Delle Donne did this podcast interview that her days in the Windy City could be numbered.
This certainly raises the profile of the Mystics heading into the 2017 season. Washington went 13-21 last season and on the outside of the WNBA playoff picture in the first year of the league’s new playoff format.
In addition, the Mystics also are the closest team geographically to the state of Delaware, where she played her collegiate ball and still considered to be home for her. This could be as close to a homecoming as one could get given the circumstances.
The Mystics were not done wheeling and dealing as they also completed a second trade, seen as a potential precursor to pulling off the Delle Donne blockbuster.
Washington sent Kia Vaughn and Bria Hartley to the Liberty. The Storm also acquired Carolyn Swords and the 15th overall pick in this year’s Draft in exchange for its own sixth and 18th overall selections.
Both Vaughn and Hartley are native New Yorkers. Vaughn played collegiately at Rutgers while Hartley played at UConn. Vaughn averaged over 10 points per game in 2011 and appeared in every game for Washington last year. Hartley is averaging just over seven points for her career and shot 36 percent from three-point range last season.
Swords started all 34 games for the Liberty in 2016 and averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game—both career highs.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
