Mike Conley could be a shot in the arm for the Utah Jazz
Three games currently separate the sixth seed from the ninth seed in the NBA’s Western Conference. The Utah Jazz are one game up on the eighth-seeded Clippers yet just three games from the fourth-seeded Blazers.
The Jazz’s season could go in multiple directions and the addition of Mike Conley could fortify them in the playoff race.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reported on Friday that the Jazz and Grizzlies were talking about a Mike Conley and Ricky Rubio trade.
Stein also adds that there would be other pieces. The biggest piece involved in the rumored swap would be the two years and $66 million that is still owed to Conley. Yet, it may be worth it for a team like the Jazz that doesn’t appear to be near rebuilding soon.
Conley’s deal may seem lucrative but it’s manageable.
First off, Conley’s contract expires after the 2021 season. Rudy Gobert’s and Joe Ingles’ contracts also expire after that season. Beyond that, the Jazz currently have no guaranteed money on the books for 2022. Since the Jazz figure to compete over the next two seasons, Conley lines up nicely with their timeline.
Secondly, Conley is having a nice season on a bad Grizzlies team. At age 31, Conley has shown that he is still one of the best in the game. After playing just 12 games last season, Conley has played in 51 this season and averaged 20.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. He has an effective field goal percentage over 50 percent and has made 35.9 percent of his six 3-point attempts per game. He’s still good.
Finally, Conley compares favorably to Rubio this season. Rubio’s expiring deal would allow the Grizzlies to either draft a point guard of the future this summer or re-sign him to a team-friendly deal this summer.
In a lot of ways, the two players’ production has been similar. However, Conley has been the better shooter and has turned the ball over significantly less. That adds a ton of value to possessions.
If the rest of the framework of the deal makes sense, both the Grizzlies and Jazz should consider the merits of this swap. It seems that Conley’s deal will expire at the perfect time for the Jazz and Rubio gives the Grizzlies flexibility or provides them with a capable point guard to guide a young roster.
This could be a win-win for everyone.
