Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley Bounce Back Season?

MEMPHIS, TN - DECEMBER 4: Mike Conley
MEMPHIS, TN - DECEMBER 4: Mike Conley

Memphis Grizzlies Veteran Point Guard Mike Conley attended Team USA Mini camp on Thursday afternoon. Seeing Conley on the floor again made me think about a bounce back season, and also what could lie ahead.

Mike Conley Jr., is coming off of one of the toughest seasons of his career where he played in only 12 of the 82 games in 2017. A season that put a nagging injury to rest with surgery. For years Conley described the bone spur in his left heel as a “golf ball,” but that was fixed when the spur was removed this past season.

For years Conley rehabbed his heel without the surgery, and team doctors told Conley that he wouldn’t need the procedure, but the situation progressed.

The injury forced Conley to sit out one of the longest seasons in franchise history, it felt like at least. A year of ‘tanking’ after so much postseason success for Memphis almost felt unreal, but it is the reality of the NBA or any successful franchise. The roster ages, injuries happen, and then there is the grooming of young talent.

Last season Memphis groomed some pretty good young talent in the absence of Conley, but no one is taking Conley’s spot in 2018. Yeah, Andrew Harrison progressed last season, and Memphis spent their 32nd overall pick on a young Point Guard in Jevon Carter, but this is still Conley’ team.

MEMPHIS, TN – MARCH 17: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies lifts weights before the game on March 17, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.
MEMPHIS, TN – MARCH 17: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies lifts weights before the game on March 17, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.

Where ever this team wants to go, Conley has to take them to that level. This is no shade at Memphis’ All-Star Center Marc Gasol, but it is a guards league right now, and Conley has the tools to take Memphis to new heights.

What still lingers medically for Conley is what haunts fans, and at the age of 30, those things still lingering around Conley are slamming the door of his prime shut.

MEMPHIS, TN – JANUARY 10: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Mike Conley
MEMPHIS, TN – JANUARY 10: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Mike Conley

An achilles that struggles to adapt to the beginning of a long NBA season. The achilles was the first diagnosis from a distance this past season when Conley went down, before finding out about the spur. Conley, and former head coach David Fizdale talked about his achilles issues at this past season.

It is scary, and for a guard that uses dynamic speed bursts to boost his entire game, it leaves fans wondering “how much more of Captain Clutch do we have left?” The answer is yet to be seen, but I think we will see Conley at a high level for a few more years.

I do not doubt Conley anymore for several reasons. I did it at the beginning of his career, and then he exploded.  I doubted that anyone could be that nice off camera, and what you see on camera is what you get, win or loss.

MEMPHIS, TN – MARCH 8: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies design sneakers with patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a part of “Hoops for St. Jude” on March 8, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.
MEMPHIS, TN – MARCH 8: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies design sneakers with patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a part of “Hoops for St. Jude” on March 8, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.

Conley is a class act, and has his eyes on Team USA next summer. Will it happen? Similar to his health is yet to be seen, but he is all heart, and that is a guarantee night in and out.