Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley, who last played on November 13, is expected to be sidelined until sometime in 2018, according to a press release issued by the Grizzlies. The club announced today that Conley continues to undergo therapy and treatment on his left heel, with the next update on his status to be provided in about two weeks.
Conley, 30, has only played in 12 games this season for Memphis, having been nagged by heel and Achilles issues for several weeks. His absence has had a massive impact on the Grizzlies, who went 7-5 with him in the lineup and have lost 16 of 18 games without him.
Despite the Grizzlies’ struggles and Conley’s ongoing absence, the team has repeatedly insisted that there are no plans to rebuild or to significantly retool the roster this season. Even if that stance were to change, a Conley trade might be a long shot. His trade value, already potentially affected by his injury problems, would also be adversely impacted by his contract. Conley has a $28.5MM cap hit this season, and his salary will exceed $30MM annually starting next year, making him one of the league’s highest-paid players. His deal runs through 2020/21.
With Conley still on the shelf, the Grizzlies will continue to lean on Mario Chalmers and Andrew Harrison at the point, with Tyreke Evans and Ben McLemore also getting opportunities to handle the ball.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies also announced in today’s press release that injured big man Brandan Wright is expected to return this week, while injured guard Wayne Selden should get back on the court before the end of the calendar year.