Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell cracks code about Mike Conley’s future
By Matt Giles
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has “confirmed” the return of Mike Conley.
Based on Donovan Mitchell’s deductive reasoning, unrestricted free agent Mike Conley will still be a member of the Utah Jazz next season.
Granted, Mitchell’s explanation, which he revealed as an Instagram comment on Tuesday, comes with a comedic undertone. It appears the two-time All-Star guard was partly mocking the abundance of Jazz fans on social media who have attempted to crack the code about where Conley will wind up after free agency begins in early August.
Responding to Conley’s advertisement for doTERRA essential oils on his Instagram account, Mitchell noted the hint that his teammate might have dropped just by agreeing to promote the company’s products:
“[doTERRA] headquarters in Utah…Mike played for Utah…according to the calculations, MIKE TO THE JAZZ CONFIRMED😂.”
Are the Utah Jazz indeed the favorites for Mike Conley?
The apparent consensus among NBA insiders seems to align with Mitchell’s conclusion, in that folks generally forecast the Jazzmen to retain Conley’s services.
However, in light of the franchise’s luxury-tax concerns, chances are the front office soon makes a move or two to lighten the impact from the tens of millions that Conley will likely require next season.
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Last season was the 33-year-old’s second in Utah after a 2019 summer trade sent him from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Jazz.
Between the regular season and NBA Playoffs, which ended for the Jazz after four straight losses to the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals, the 33-year-old point guard missed 26 games, primarily due to hamstring issues.
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Across the 2020-21 regular season, which saw the Jazzmen finish with the league’s best record at 52-20, Conley averaged 16.2 points and earned his first All-Star nod.