With the Grizzlies reportedly zeroing in on point guard Ja Morant at No. 2 in this year’s draft, Mike Conley‘s future in Memphis appears very much up in the air.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who reported in March that the Jazz are candidates to re-engage the Grizzlies in Conley trade talks this offseason, reiterated that point this week. However, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, Memphis is in the market for “quality” draft picks. Utah holds the No. 23 pick and may not pick in the top 20 anytime soon, so it could be tricky for the club to entice the Grizzlies with a package.
One team to watch in the Conley sweepstakes is Miami, according to Deveney, who writes that Heat president Pat Riley has “long coveted” the veteran point guard. The Heat may not be able to draft a difference-maker at No. 13, and acquiring Conley would allow the club to avoid rolling the dice in free agency in 2020, when few impact players are expected to hit the market.
Here’s more from Deveney on Conley and a few other topics:
- Deveney also identifies the Pacers and Mavericks as possible suitors for Conley, though Indiana’s cap flexibility may be compromised if the team decides to re-sign a few of its own free agents, making Conley’s contract undesirable.
- Even if the Lakers can’t acquire Anthony Davis, there’s a sense that they’ll be active on the trade market, writes Deveney. The team has several potential targets in mind, with Bradley Beal at or near the top of that list, depending on whether the Wizards make him available. According to Deveney, Kyle Lowry may also be a target if the Raptors lose Kawhi Leonard in free agency and retool their roster. The Lakers like Derrick Favors too, Deveney adds. Favors could be either a free agent or trade target, depending on what the Jazz do with his $17.65MM team option.
- There’s some skepticism that the Celtics will use all three of their first-round picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 14, 20, and 22). The type of deal(s) that Boston will pursue may depend on what they expect to happen with Kyrie Irving.
Utah and Dallas are probably the favorites.
Teams like the Lakers, Hornets, and Pacers could all be underdogs for Conley
If the hornets trade for Mike Conley I will literally cry.
Beal would be GREAT for the Lakers if they can’t make a (reasonable) deal for AD
Dragic, Richardson (or Winslow) and No 13 for Conley. Who says no?
Riley will find a way not to. Not that it’s a bad trade.
Sorry I meant not to do the trade. Riley says no after getting tired of negotiating.
Heat says no. I’m a fan of Conley, and have been for a long time, but especially in that kind of a deal, I dont see it being enough of an improvement over a healthy Dragic (except defensively), and then that doesnt factor in that it would add another injury guy to our already injury situated roster
I think Detroit for Conley makes since for both teams. Detroit gets Conley and Anderson, Memphis gets Jackson, Leuer, Galloway, Kennard, and the 15th overall pick. Memphis gets two young players and three expiring contracts.
Not a bad thought. Especially if they can flip Reggie for a multi year bad deal + another first to replace the one they owe Boston. Perhaps to Charlotte for Nicolas Batum and a 1st if Kemba leaves.
Nice. But I would hesitate on kennard and the 15. I would give all for beal an most for jrue holiday. But giving up the store for conley is risky because there are free agent options that can fill detroit’s pg need. Conley is good but not for the store.
The store is pretty empty at this point and it would probably take most of what they got to even get a guy like Conley (aging and injury prone as he is).
Really jackson galloway leur kyrie thonas and a future top 5 protected first rounder is plenty to make that trade hapoen fairly.
as a mavs fan, i do not want conley or walker. i rather sign 2 or 3 role players with our cap space. brogdon, beverly and portis. anddddd if the mavs want starting PG maybe trade hardaway and some picks for Dragic (assuming he opts in)