Mike Conley
This one shouldn’t catch any Utah Jazz fans by surprise. It’s no secret that Mike Conley was highly sought after by Dennis Lindsey and Co. at this February’s trade deadline. Unfortunately, such a transaction ultimately wasn’t in the cards, presumably because Memphis demanded too much.
However, that doesn’t mean that the conversation couldn’t be reignited this summer, and while the Jazz would then no longer have impending free agent Ricky Rubio as a bartering chip, there’s still a possibility that they could get something put together, especially around draft time when several trades take place, particularly for rebuilding squads like the Grizzlies who will be relying on young talent.
I was a huge proponent of the Jazz pursuing a trade for Conley at the trade deadline, despite some risks including his age, his contract and the Jazz potentially having to give up several meaningful pieces. Yes, Conley is on the wrong side of 30 years old, is owed over $30 million in each of the next two seasons and has had some injury struggles in the past.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that he’s one of the most underrated point guards in the league and is currently having one of the best seasons of his career. Conley is putting up a career-best 21.1 points per game while shooting respectable splits of 43.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from deep as well as dropping 6.4 assists per game.
I believe some of his inefficiency has stemmed from him having to do too much, whereas as a member of the Utah Jazz paired alongside the likes of Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles and the ultra-efficient Rudy Gobert, Conley would likely have even more space to operate and more flexibility to get and take good shots.
Just imagine adding another 20+ point scorer to Utah’s ranks that could create his own shot and play-make for his teammates to play in the backcourt with Donovan Mitchell. It would be an incredible pairing for Utah’s offense.
But the ideal part of adding Conley wouldn’t just be his offense, but he’s also known for being a gritty defender as well. His time with the ‘grit and grind’ Memphis Grizzlies would undoubtedly make him a seamless fit in Quin Snyder’s hard-nosed defense, which is a critical prerequisite for any player joining the Jazz’s ranks.
If Memphis was asking for too much at the trade deadline, and the Jazz will no longer have Rubio or an injured Dante Exum as trade pieces, it may be difficult to woo Conley away this time around. But with just two years left on his contract and the Grizzlies clearly needing to redirect their focus moving forward, he could very well be available and a Jazz pursuit should take place regardless of any potential roadblocks.