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Memphis Grizzlies’ Mike Conley Underrated Nationally or Overrated Locally?

By Ed Memphis

MEMPHIS, TN - AUGUST 02: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies helps announce the Memphis Grizzlies new uniforms during an event at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on August 2, 2018. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brandon Dill/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - AUGUST 02: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies helps announce the Memphis Grizzlies new uniforms during an event at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on August 2, 2018. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brandon Dill/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Have we already witnessed the best Memphis Grizzlies days of point guard Mike Conley’s career? The 2018-19 season will determine how great he really is.

Mike Conley — also known as “Mac-11” or “The Conductor” — has possibly peaked as a fringe All-Star-caliber point guard in the NBA.

The 6’1,” 190-pound floor general out of Ohio State has helped lead our beloved Memphis Grizzlies through its best era in franchise history. It has been an era where our team finally solidified an identity, and no coincidence, it was one that best reflects the city of Memphis.

Conley has been the longest-tenured Grizzlies player 11 years into his career. He has boasted career averages of 14.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game. Mike certainly ranks as one of the all-time greatest players in franchise history if nothing else. That much is a given at this point in time.

He is an All-Star-caliber player at his peak, but he has only had perhaps two All-Star-caliber seasons throughout his 11 seasons. Also, Mike Conley has never exactly dominated at anything.

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For starters, “Mac-11” has never had a 40-point game. He has never logged a 15-assist game. He has produced only had one 20 points per game season. Additionally, Mike has never received one of the 12 available All-Star spots in the Western Conference. Add that to the fact has only reached the Western Conference Finals once to this date. I hate to bare bad news, but the Memphis Grizzlies have a fine player in Mike Conley, but certainly not a superstar.

The other side of this debate would say “well, Mike Conley once made an All-NBA team just a few years ago.” The thing is, Conley made that team largely in part of his steal numbers. You may say “what’s wrong with that?” Nothing, but if we are putting things into context, Tony Allen was arguably the best wing defender ever at that time. He had the perimeter on lock by himself while Marc Gasol was also a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He was anchoring the middle like a Manning brother.

The bottom line is that Mike Conley’s steals and other defensive numbers were inflated playing next to two of the best defenders of this era. He greatly benefitted from them. Conley is the same guy who did not guard Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and other elite point guards during the “Grit-‘n’-Grind” era.

Some will counter with the logic of Mike not having to guard the opposition’s best guard when he had Allen alongside him. Plus, Mike had to carry quite a bit of the load offensively. Well, Conley is not a world class scorer. Also, he has never averaged greater than seven assists per game, so he is not exactly Rajon Rondo with the passes either.

Ultimately, Mike Conley was privileged to cheat on defense and go for steals. There is nothing wrong with it, but he is not exactly what one should envision when you talk about All-NBA Defense.

Most recently, “The Conductor” was at the Team USA camp, one at which the elites and rising stars convene to play in the future Olympics. On a lighter note, the initiative is to work out and rub elbows with fellow shot-callers around the league.

This year, Mike Conley did not play (only minimally participating), but in the previous years he has attended the mini camp, he has played, but has never made the team or even be named a finalist for that matter. That says a lot when he has auditioned every year he has been healthy in recent history.

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Ironically, Kyle Lowry — a former first round pick of the Memphis Grizzlies who was shipped out in favor of Conley — has made the Olympic team in the past. Lowry is also an Olympic Gold Medalist and perennial NBA All-Star now. Kyle is an All-NBA-level defender while on-ball and he has also led his team to a Conference Finals appearance, though located in the lesser Eastern Conference. My point is that the Grizzlies let the better player go.

Some locals say Mike Conley should have been an All-Star at some point, but I cannot help but respond with asking “in what year?” Who would you take off the All-Star squad — within the backcourt — to replace with Conley?

With older legends like Tony Parker on the downhill slope and rising studs — namely Lonzo Ball and Donovan Mitchell — still developing, the point guard position is in a bit of a shift change. For now, Mike Conley can be considered a top-10 floor general in the West, but certainly not top-five. Rajon Rondo may not be a regular season All-Star anymore, but I take a playoff-bound New Orleans Pelicans version of Rondo over any version of Conley any day. The competition in the West at this position is incredibly stiff.

Call it what you want, but this is a vision board of where Mike Conley truly stands amongst his constituents. Some say “Conley would be an All-Star in the Eastern Conference today.” However, can we be sure about that?

Let’s look at the East’s point guard lineup. They have Lowry, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Kemba Walker, and even Goran Dragic. Now most basketball savants would take all of the former over Conley, though I may prefer Conley over Dragic. MAYBE.

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Even with Goran and Kemba passed up by Mike, it still means he is All-Star-caliber at his best. Do I have to cover the elite talk, too? I think the truth has been revealed enough. Mike Conley’s game must do the talking in 2018-19 in order to reveal how great he truly is.

Follow Beale Street Bears contributor Ed Wilson on Twitter.

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