The Memphis Grizzlies created the player who will cause their demise

For a long stretch of time, the Memphis Grizzlies were known for a few players. On that list of players, you’ll find names like Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, and others. But the heart and soul of the Grizzlies, at least toward the end of the 2010s, was Mike Conley.

Conley was never the most high-profile player — he has always been an extremely reliable point guard who can make an impact on a team with a strong supporting cast. Think Rajon Rondo.

Because of this, he was never able to take the Grizzlies any further than the conference finals. The Grizz were a good team that continued to fall short due to a lack of superstar power. As a result, the Grizzlies’ front office would decide to reload and try again.

It began when Memphis let Zach Randolph go in free agency. He’d land on the Sacramento Kings, where he’d play a single season before retiring from the league. Along the way, Tony Allen and Marc Gasol would be sent elsewhere.

But the big piece that the Grizzlies would let go was Mike Conley, a player that they had drafted, given an opportunity to, and let succeed on Beale Street. Conley had become a fan-favorite for the Grizzlies and will always hold a place in fans’ hearts.

Conley was traded to the Utah Jazz, where he has found success. Perhaps more success than Grizzlies fans would like.

Mike Conley has become the player who could knock the Memphis Grizzlies out of the playoffs

All Memphis fans will agree that they want Mike Conley to succeed, no matter where his career will take him. That said, those very same fans would have like to see him succeed against any of the other 29 teams in the league.

Instead, Conley has played some of the best basketball of his career against the Grizzlies’ in the first-round series between Memphis and Utah. He has scored over 20 points in three of four matchups, dropping buckets when it matters most.

He has also averaged a double-double in the series, with over 10 assists per game against his former team. For Grizzlies fans, it has been bitter-sweet.

On a Jazz team full of superstars, the former Grizzly has risen above and proven to be an unexpected X-factor in this series. It’s hard to root against the man, but if he could cut Memphis some slack, that would be nice.