Mike Conley Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mike Conley: “I’ll Play Anywhere”

February 7th, 2019 at 11:39am CST by Arthur Hill

Mike Conley is denying a rumor that he and his representatives are trying to quash a trade to Utah, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic.

“I’ll play anywhere,” the Grizzlies guard said during today’s shootaround. He claims he doesn’t know how speculation started that wants to head East, adding that he doesn’t have a preference for either conference.

Conley has been the subject of intense speculation since Memphis let it be known last month that it was willing to listen to offers for him and Marc Gasol. A report on Wednesday said the Jazz were making progress in a deal for Conley, but he and his representatives were resisting it, hoping to wind up in Indiana, Toronto or Detroit instead.

Memphis is seeking multiple first-round picks in any Conley deal. Utah reportedly offered a first-rounder and second-rounder, along with a pair of expiring contracts (believed to be Ricky Rubio and Derrick Favors), but declined when the Grizzlies asked for Dante Exum.

Trade Rumors: Gasol, Conley, Hornets, Wolves, Suns

February 7th, 2019 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies hold two of the NBA’s biggest trade chips as today’s trade deadline approaches, and the two teams linked most frequently to Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, respectively, remain in the hunt for those players, according to reports.

Marc Stein of The New York Times tweeted this morning that the Hornets continue to engage the Grizzlies on a potential deal for Gasol, which has been rumored throughout the week, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirms (via Twitter) that the two teams are still trying to bridge the gap in those talks.

Meanwhile, on the Conley front, the Jazz have been most frequently cited as a potential landing spot for the veteran point guard. Despite whispers that Conley prefers not to end up in Utah, the Jazz haven’t abandoned their efforts to acquire him, according to Stein, who tweets that Memphis has considered waiting until the offseason to revisit Conley trade talks.

Even if Gasol and/or Conley stay put, it could still be an active deadline in Memphis. Stein notes (via Twitter) that JaMychal Green is attracting trade interest. Garrett Temple and Justin Holiday have also been mentioned as potential trade candidates.

Here are a few more trade rumors from across the league:

While their focus is on Gasol for now, the Hornets were in the mix for Harrison Barnes before he was sent to Sacramento, according to Stein (Twitter link).
The Timberwolves haven’t made any serious progress on any deals, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, who observes (via Twitter) that the Jeff Teague, Gorgui Dieng, and Taj Gibson contracts won’t be easy to move due to large cap hits and – in the case of Teague and Dieng – multiyear commitments. Anthony Tolliver, on a smaller expiring contract, has generated interest and could be moved today, Wolfson adds.
League sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic that the Suns haven’t talked to the Lakers about a Lonzo Ball deal and that Josh Jackson and T.J. Warren aren’t expected to go anywhere today.
Although there may be an outside perception that Anthony Davis‘ trade request has destabilized the Pelicans, none of his teammates have shown even a hint of animosity toward him, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com details. Head coach Alvin Gentry called Davis “a great kid,” while teammate Jrue Holiday said, he “loves” having AD around. “He’s like my big brother. He takes care of me,” Jahlil Okafor said of Davis. “… Selfishly, I would love to be by him every day like I have been this year. But at the end of the day, I just want him to be happy.”

Eastern Trade Rumors: Cavs, A. Holiday, Kaminsky, Raps

February 7th, 2019 at 8:20am CST by Luke Adams

It has been a busy season on the trade market for the Cavaliers, who entered sell mode early and have moved Kyle Korver, George Hill, and Alec Burks in separate deals over the course of the 2018/19 campaign.

Even after all that action, the Cavaliers may not be done dealing, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who reports that Cleveland’s front office is still exploring the market in search of a possible home for J.R. Smith. Although the Cavs plan to continue their efforts to move Smith right up until today’s deadline, making a deal is “easier said than done,” a source tells Fedor.

Despite the fact that Smith is on a pseudo-expiring contract, with only $3.87MM of his $15.68MM salary for 2019/20 guaranteed, his $14.72MM cap hit for this season – and the fact that he hasn’t played in an NBA game since mid-November – will be a tough sell. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Smith ultimately ends up on the buyout market after the deadline.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

We’ve heard that the Pacers might be willing to move Cory Joseph and Darren Collison, but it’s their other point guard – rookie Aaron Holiday – who has been a popular target for teams making inquiries, writes J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. Although Indiana initially took those calls, the club has now pulled Holiday off the table and has no plans to deal him this week, a source tells Michael.
While the Hornets remain in the mix for Marc Gasol, they’re also still on the lookout for a potential landing spot for Frank Kaminsky, independent of a Gasol deal, tweets Sporting News’ Sean Deveney. Kaminsky, who has played just 41 minutes in Charlotte’s last 23 games, would presumably welcome a change of scenery.
Despite some rumors this week involving the Raptors, Mike Conley, and Kyle Lowry, there’s currently no traction on a Toronto deal that would include those players, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
The Magic and the Bulls are among the clubs that have expressed some level of interest in Clippers point guard Milos Teodosic, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando, who hears that a Teodosic trade is still possible. As we heard earlier in the season, the former EuroLeague star also continues to draw plenty of interest from international teams, Cauchi notes.

Wizards Notes: Beal, Ariza, Conley, Gasol

February 7th, 2019 at 12:41am CST by Luke Adams

It was a busy night for the Wizards, who officially completed a trade that sent Otto Porter to the Bulls for Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis and a future second-round pick, then later finalized a deal to move Markieff Morris and a second-rounder to the Pelicans for Wesley Johnson.

While the pair of moves won’t necessarily make Washington a better team on the court, the financial implications are significant. The Wizards have now slipped below the luxury tax line for the 2018/19 season, which will help them avoid the repeater tax going forward.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks observes (via Twitter), the Wizards have now saved $18.3MM toward the tax since the start of the season, sneaking just $232K below the threshold with today’s Portis and Morris deals.

Here’s more out of D.C.:

After tonight’s trade of Porter to Chicago, the Wizards’ future now lies in the hands of Bradley Beal, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic. He suggests that owner Ted Leonsis should meet with Beal soon to find out how committed he is to the team’s future. Regardless of the answer, it will provide a road map for which moves need to be made next.
For what it’s worth, the Wizards have no intention of moving Beal this week, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Aldridge argues (via Twitter) that there’s no point in the Wizards hanging onto Trevor Ariza and Jeff Green – a pair of veterans on expiring contracts – for the rest of the season. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that there’s mutual interest between Ariza and the Wizards in extending their relationship beyond this season. That should be easier financially for the club now that Porter is off the books.
Today’s trade with the Bulls came together quickly, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Sources tell her that trade talks between Washington and Chicago didn’t start until today. In a full story for The Post, Buckner explores how the trade of Porter – and the subsequent trade of Morris – shook up the Wizards’ locker room.
Before word of the Wizards’ second trade broke today, Buckner reported (via Twitter) that the team has inquired on Grizzlies trade candidates Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. It’s hard to envision Washington making a move for either player at this point.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Mike Conley Resisting Trade To Utah?

February 6th, 2019 at 5:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

6:05pm: The Raptors aren’t trying to trade for Conley, while the Pistons are pessimistic that a deal will get done before the deadline, Stein tweets.

5:02pm: The Jazz are closer to working out a trade for Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, but Conley and his representatives prefer to see him sent somewhere else, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter link).

“Utah was making some progress in acquiring him, and I think that would have been a tremendous deal for Utah,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s “The Jump.” (video link via @The_6ix_man) “Mike Conley‘s agent has made it known that Mike Conley does not want to play in Utah. … If he’s going to be traded, he’d prefer to go the the Eastern Conference. Now Memphis is working on deals with Detroit and Toronto.”

A trade with the Raptors would mean Kyle Lowry may wind up with the Jazz, Windhorst adds. Utah has been interested in Lowry for a long time and Lowry has “a ton of respect” for Jazz coach Quin Snyder, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The report on Conley is backed up by Marc Stein of The New York Times, who tweets that he is resisting a trade to the Jazz. Conley has no ability to block a deal — he is under contract for more than $67MM over the next two seasons — but he’s making it clear that Utah isn’t his first choice.

The Pacers continue to talk to the Grizzlies about Conley, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link). However, Indiana and Toronto believe Memphis’ asking price is “prohibitively high.” Jones states that he heard the Pacers offered a young player and a veteran and were met with a counteroffer that they didn’t consider realistic.

A source tells Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press that the Grizzlies are asking the Pistons to include shooting guard Luke Kennard and a first-round pick in any package. Ellis speculates that Reggie Jackson would also be part of the deal, but notes that picking up Conley would limit Detroit’s financial flexibility going forward.

Trade Rumors: Wolves, A. Davis, Irving, Conley, More

February 6th, 2019 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After making a big splash earlier in the season by sending Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia, the Timberwolves remain active on the trade market, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who reports that GM Scott Layden is “canvassing the league for available deals.” Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News relays a similar sentiment, tweeting that Layden has been “much more communicative” than in past years.

According to Wolfson, players on expiring contracts are available, as are Jeff Teague and Gorgui Dieng. However, as of Tuesday, there was “zero sense” that anything was close to getting done. Meanwhile, sources tell Krawczynski that multiple teams checked in last month on Andrew Wiggins to see if the Timberwolves might be willing to move him for “pennies on the dollar.” Those inquires qualified more as due diligence though, and didn’t really go anywhere, per Krawczynski.

Here are several more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Pelicans still have yet to respond to the Lakers‘ most recent trade offer for Anthony Davis, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). L.A. reportedly pulled out of talks on Tuesday after making a big offer on Monday night, though it appears the club would be ready to re-engage if New Orleans makes a counter-offer.
While Kyrie Irving‘s comments on his upcoming free agency last week had some league observers wondering if the Celtics would consider moving him at the trade deadline, the team – unsurprisingly – has no intention to do so, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. “Boston’s not taking calls on Kyrie,” one general manager said. “That was made pretty clear.”
The Grizzlies are believed to be seeking multiple first-round picks in any package for Mike Conley, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. According to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz’s final offer to Memphis was a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and expiring contracts (likely Ricky Rubio and Derrick Favors). The Grizzlies asked for Dante Exum, but were told no, per Jones (Twitter link via John Martin of 92.9 ESPN).
A source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that the Bulls have received “a handful” of calls about Jabari Parker within the last week. Parker is a candidate to be traded, or to be bought out if Chicago can’t find a suitable deal.
According to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), the Hawks have started to receive more calls on veteran trade candidates Kent Bazemore, Dewayne Dedmon, and Jeremy Lin. Smith adds (via Twitter) that Knicks forward Noah Vonleh is another trade candidate to watch, as he has generated multiple inquiries.

O’Connor’s Latest: Gasol, Conley, OKC, Prince, More

February 6th, 2019 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

As we relayed earlier today, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer hears that the Hornets‘ offer for Grizzlies center Marc Gasol is Bismack Biyombo, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and a protected first-round pick. That would be an underwhelming return for Gasol, but there hasn’t been much league-wide interest in the 34-year-old, O’Connor writes.

The Kings and Pistons were among the teams potentially in the mix for Gasol, according to O’Connor, but Memphis didn’t have any interest in Detroit center Andre Drummond and Sacramento was unwilling to part with promising young wing Bogdan Bogdanovic, whom the Grizzlies wanted.

The Raptors reportedly explored a potential Gasol deal, initially attempting to come up with an individual trade for one Grizzlies veteran before turning it into a package for both Gasol and Mike Conley, O’Connor writes. However, those talks didn’t advance and league sources tell The Ringer that it’s unlikely Toronto ends up with Gasol or Conley.

Elsewhere on the Conley front, the Jazz continue to make a strong push, with an offer that includes Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors, and a first-round pick, per O’Connor. The sense around the NBA is that the Grizzlies won’t settle for a modest return for Conley, which is something we heard in relation to the Pistons’ offer earlier today.

O’Connor’s latest piece for The Ringer features several more trade-related tidbits, so we’ll round them up here…

The Thunder are believed to be among the teams with interest in Cavaliers guard Alec Burks, league sources tell O’Connor. However, Burks wouldn’t fit into OKC’s $10.88MM trade exception. The Thunder, along with the Sixers and Trail Blazers, have expressed interest in Hawks wing Taurean Prince, O’Connor adds.
Following up on his report from last week about the Rockets and Grizzlies discussing a Brandon Knight trade, O’Connor suggests that Marquese Chriss and a first-round pick would also go to Memphis in that proposed deal. Houston would be targeting JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple in the swap, though it remains in the discussion stage for now.
The Kings have made calls about veteran forwards Harrison Barnes (Mavericks) and Otto Porter (Wizards) but have found no traction on a Porter deal, writes O’Connor.
While DeAndre Jordan looks like an obvious trade candidate, it wouldn’t be a major surprise if the Knicks keep him around as a potential recruiter for Kevin Durant, according to O’Connor, who notes that Durant and Jordan are good friends. Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News wrote about this subject on Tuesday.
League sources don’t expect the Celtics to do anything at the deadline with Terry Rozier, since he could serve as potential Kyrie Irving insurance or a sign-and-trade sweetener for Anthony Davis in the offseason, says O’Connor.
According to O’Connor, the Pacers remain open to moving one of their two veteran point guards, Cory Joseph or Darren Collison. Both players are on expiring contracts.

Ellis’ Latest: Pistons, Conley, G. Harris, Knicks

February 6th, 2019 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are on the verge of completing a trade that will send Reggie Bullock to the Lakers, and they may not be done making moves before Thursday’s deadline, according to a pair of beat writers.

Rod Beard of The Detroit News tweets that he believes the Pistons will be exploring the market for other cost-saving deals or potential additions. Meanwhile, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) hears that the team is working on acquiring more draft picks.

Ellis has shared a few more rumors, including another one on the Pistons, so we’ll pass those along in this space:

According to Ellis (Twitter link), the Pistons apparently don’t expect to land Mike Conley from the Grizzlies. A source tells Ellis that Memphis was “asking too much.” The Jazz and Raptors are among the other teams that have been linked to Conley, with the Utah talks believed to have been more serious.
While Ellis doesn’t expect anything to happen on this front this week, he has heard from several people recently that Nuggets guard Gary Harris could be had in a trade (Twitter link). As Ellis observes, moving Harris would help Denver create a little more long-term flexibility, and has become a more viable option given the emergence of Malik Beasley.
Ellis identifies the Knicks as a probable suitor for Celtics forward Marcus Morris in free agency this summer (Twitter link). Morris would presumably be a Plan B for New York, since it likely wouldn’t be possible to fit in a contract for him alongside two maximum-salary deals.

Raptors Made Offer For Mike Conley, Marc Gasol?

February 5th, 2019 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

3:44pm: The Grizzlies would be looking for more than Lowry and Valanciunas in return for Conley and Gasol, according to Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News, who hears that Memphis asked for Pascal Siakam (Twitter link). The Raptors aren’t trading Siakam, but would be willing to include Delon Wright and a future first-round pick, says Lawrence.

Toronto’s 2019 first-round pick is committed to San Antonio, so the 2021 first-rounder would be the next one available.

2:18pm: While the Grizzlies have reportedly been primarily engaged in talks with the Jazz and Pistons for Mike Conley, another potential suitor has entered the mix, according to Jake Fischer of SI.com. League sources tell Fischer that the Raptors have contacted Memphis and offered Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas in a deal for both Conley and Marc Gasol.

It’s a fascinating offer from Toronto’s perspective, as the second-best team in the East appears willing to give up an All-Star guard and an important rotation piece in a proposal that would reshape its roster. Lowry has been made aware of the Raptors’ trade talks involving him, per Fischer.

On the other hand though, it’s hard to see why the Grizzlies would jump at Toronto’s offer, unless the franchise isn’t totally committed to rebuilding. Lowry has a cap number similar to Conley’s, albeit with a contract that expires a year earlier. Valanciunas has a $17.62MM player option for next season.

By comparison, Utah’s offer for Conley reportedly includes a sizable expiring contract (Ricky Rubio‘s) and a first-round pick. It could also feature a prospect like Dante Exum or Grayson Allen, according to Fischer. Detroit’s offer for Conley is said to include Reggie Jackson and a first-rounder. The Grizzlies are believed to be seriously considering both teams’ offers, per Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

According to Fischer, the Grizzlies turned down the Raptors’ initial offer and would prefer to receive younger players – such as OG Anunoby – and/or draft assets from Toronto.

Meanwhile, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca provides a different perspective, tweeting that he’s heard the talks between the Grizzlies and Raptors were initiated by Memphis and didn’t progress very far.

While Grange’s and Fischer’s accounts on which team initiated the talks seem contradictory, it’s possible both are accurate — perhaps Memphis made the first call and the Raptors, in turn, returned the Grizzlies’ call to let them know what they’d be willing to offer. If the Grizzlies didn’t like what they heard, discussions may not have advanced from there.

Latest On Mike Conley

February 4th, 2019 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

With three days to go until the trade deadline, the Jazz and Pistons remain the teams most frequently named as potential suitors for Mike Conley. Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Grizzlies are talking to both Utah and Detroit, adding that both clubs have made competitive offers for the veteran point guard (all Twitter links).

As previous reports have suggested, the Jazz’s offer for Conley centers around Ricky Rubio and a first-round draft pick, though at least one more player would need to be added for salary-matching purposes and Memphis may be seeking an additional pick.

According to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press, who confirms that the Pistons have engaged in talks with the Grizzlies, it’s fair to surmise that Detroit has offered Reggie Jackson and a first-rounder for Conley. However, a source tells Ellis that the Grizzlies would “want more.” Ellis wonders if adding Luke Kennard would be enough — and whether it’d be worth it for the Pistons.

Like the Jazz, the Pistons would also have to add at least one more player to their offer in order to match Conley’s salary. Many of Detroit’s most expensive contracts – including Jackson’s – are multiyear deals, while Utah has sizable expiring contracts like Rubio’s and Derrick Favors‘ available. The Grizzlies’ willingness to take on multiyear money is unclear, but those expiring deals would allow for more flexibility.

For their part, Conley and longtime teammate Marc Gasol are eager for answers about which team(s) they’ll be playing for on Friday, as Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press writes.

“You look forward to that deadline passing,” Conley said. “Either way it goes, you just want to get clarity and understand your situation going forward, and you try to block it out but it’s hard. Everybody who texts you or talks to you in person mentions something about it, so it’s hard to run from it. But you just hope for the week to get through real quick and get back to business, whether it’s here or anywhere else.”