The Utah Jazz got a great return from the Mike Conley Jr. experience. It didn't start great, but in time, Conley proved himself to be the player Utah had in mind when they acquired him in 2019. Acquiring him was such a big deal that the Jazz hadn't had an acquisition like that since they acquired Conley's former teammate, Jaren Jackson Jr.
But, the fact remains that Conley did not bring a title to the Jazz, which is precisely why they brought him in in the first place. Jazz fans know this, but a list published by ESPN's First Take only further puts salt on the wound.
James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs 🍿 pic.twitter.com/WjrglBPtFs
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 14, 2026
"Wait, Conley's not even on that list?" Yup, he's not, which is actually ESPN's fault more than anything because, as it turns out, Conley actually has more playoff wins than Marcus Smart and Paul George with 55.
That stems from his time with the Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Minnesota Timberwolves. It is a shame because Conley played almost the entirety of his career with winning teams, but never quite got any of them over the hump.
As far as how much culpability Conley has for his failures in Utah, it's clearly not on him. There's a fair argument that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert's hostile relationship (which they appear to have gotten past since the blowup) kept those Jazz teams from living up to their potential.
Plus, when it was all said and done, Conley still played well enough to snare a valuable asset for the Jazz that factored into the JJJ trade three years later. If the Jazz get a title as a direct result of Jackson, then Conley indirectly played a role in a title!
But we'll cross that bridge when he come to it. Conley's time in Utah should still be remembered fondly, but that doesn't make facts like this any less true.
It's what makes the Timberwolves easier to root for
Because of how well-liked Conley became as a Jazzman, Jazz fans have been rooting for him to get that title since he joined the Timberwolves three years ago. It's easier when other notable Jazz alumni like Gobert and Joe Ingles are also there, but during a painful rebuild, it's fun to root for certain ex-Jazz players who gave it their all.
Conley is not the player he used to be. In fact, it's becoming clearer and clearer that both Utah gave up on him at the perfect time and that his role in Minnesota is more based on sentiment and veteran leadership than it is about what he can still do on the floor.
The Timberwolves are in for a blood bath in the Western Conference (which the Jazz are poised to join), so get ready for something truly epic. Even if Conley couldn't win it all as a Jazzman, the fanbase would and should be ecstatic if he gets a ring in Minny.
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