Ex-Grizzlies guard labeled a ‘top target’ for polarizing Eastern Conference team
By Mark Nilon
Recently, Memphis Grizzlies fans were found sharing their thoughts and opinions about which individual from either past or present is most deserving of being considered as the franchise’s greatest player of all time.
Though there were several names rattled off during the debate, one of the most oft-mentioned candidates for the luxurious label was former point guard Mike Conley Jr., who spent 12 seasons in Grind City before being shipped out to the Utah Jazz during the summer of 2019.
During his tenure with the franchise, the veteran displayed an impressive albeit underrated skill set that paved the way to stellar per-game averages of 14.9 points, 5.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals while shooting 37.5 percent from distance.
Since his departure from the Grizzlies, Conley has gone on to grace his talents to two separate ball clubs in the Jazz and, most recently, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In a recent piece penned by Bleacher Report, writer Zach Buckley proposed that the 35-year-old’s services could once again benefit another point guard-hungry squad, as he went on the tab him as a top “trade target” for the talented yet wildly complex, Chicago Bulls.
Ex-Grizzlies guard Mike Conley tabbed as a trade target for Chicago Bulls
With the recent news that Lonzo Ball is expected to miss yet another season as a result of his lingering knee issues, the Bulls now find themselves in need of a new starting one.
Buckley considers Conley to be a fine target for the franchise to consider.
"“With the clock ticking to make something happen with this core, Chicago could still be in need of an upgrade at the lead guard spot. An on-court orchestrator like Conley (career 5.7 assists to 2.0 turnovers) or Jones (3.9 to 0.7) might be the pass-first piece needed to bring this roster together the way a healthy Ball once did,” Buckley wrote."
https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1646005910278643715?s=20
Aside from his distribution skills, Conley could also help improve the Bulls’ long-range shooting efficiency (something Buckley noted should be addressed in his piece), as he sports a 38.2 percent clip while shooting from distance and has converted on 40.2 percent of such attempts since 2020-21.
Though Chicago seems like a team that could be argued as being in need of a teardown just as easily as they could be viewed as a legitimate playoff threat, should their goal be to pursue the latter label then the Grizzlies legend could, in theory, prove to be a quality add to their rotation, especially when considering he’d be teamed up with All-Stars such as Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and DeMar DeRozan.
