Elena Delle Donne could sit out 2017 as she hits free agency

Elena Delle Donne could sit out part of next season as she looks for the right offer in free agency.

Chicago Sky star Elena Delle Donne is expected to become an restricted free agent in January and would be willing to sit out part of the 2017 season if she does not receive an offer that fits her expectations, she says in an interview with Howard Megdal.

“Some things will be moving forward for me,” Delle Donne said in the podcast interview. “I’ve loved playing with my teammates. There’s a great group of young women there. And hopefully with Amber [Stocks, head coach of the Sky] and a new system, it’ll be great for them. But for me, wherever I end up, I’ll be ready to play basketball.”

“I obviously always want to play,” she added. “I don’t want to have to sit out. I want to play the game I love, the game I work so hard on. So hopefully that doesn’t have to occur in my future.”

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Delle Donne could be one of the few WNBA stars to leave their team. She is coming off a season in which she averaged 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.