There has perhaps been no bigger frustration among Minnesota Timberwolves fans than Chris Finch continuing to play Mike Conley big minutes. After a win against the Memphis Grizzlies, Finch said that Conley played "outstanding" and praised his general impact.
"He's super smart. Defensively, he covers a lot of ground. He's really good on his guy -- he's really good with the game plan. He's great in help situations. He's great at navigating chaos when those moments come up. He had a couple of blocked shots tonight. He just competes, competes, competes. And he's got so much experience. On the other end of the floor, yeah, he hasn't made shots, but he's not getting that high volume of shots, he's just such a safe pair of hands," Finch said.
I must admit that during Saturday's win over the Grizzlies, Conley played well defensively, he had two steals and two blocks while not getting burned on the ball. However, to act like he's been an impactful defender this season is false. According to Basketball Index, Conley ranks in the 33rd percentile for both help and passing lane defense. Per Databallr, he ranks in the 22nd percentile for deflections per 100 possessions and the 36th percentile for steals per 100 possessions. Plus, opposing teams hunt and take advantage of Conley on the ball for his size and declining mobility.
That's not even to mention how it feels like the Wolves are playing four-on-five with Conley on offense. The 19-year veteran is averaging 4.5 points and 2.9 assists on 32.7 percent shooting from the field. Since the turn of the calendar, Conley is averaging just 3.6 points on 27.5 shooting from the field. I hate being overly negative on Conley; he's had an amazing career.
Nevertheless, at 38, the vast majority of smaller guards aren't rotational caliber players, and that's the unfortunate reality with Conley.
Regardless of what Finch says Conley is struggling to provide value
Does Conley still provide some value with his basketball IQ? Sure. Is it enough to justify 18.6 minutes a game? Absolutely not. The Wolves' lack of bench depth certainly plays a role, however, so does Finch's unrelenting loyalty to Conley.
Conley's lack of advantage creation and burst has been problematic for some time now. Notably, a staggering 91.9 percent of Conley's baskets are assisted, and he is shooting 43.8 percent at the rim. In the past, his 3-point shooting and playmaking abilities have made him playable offensively. However, with his shot falling off a cliff, it's difficult to justify playing him any real minutes.
And despite what Finch tells you, Conley offers little value defensively. Yes, he's a very smart player, but with declining mobility, he's a poor on-ball defender, and as mentioned, the advanced stats show that he's not that impactful off the ball either.
Frankly, it's not a coincidence that the Wolves are 5.6 points per 100 possessions worse with Conley on the court.
The trade deadline is just four days away, and it's clear the Wolves must land an impactful rotational guard. The trio of Conley, Bones Hyland, and Rob Dillingham isn't a point guard room of a championship-level team. Frankly, the only way that Conley's minutes will be reduced is if the front office forces Finch's hand.
Again, Conley has had a wonderful career, but this is clearly the end of the road for him -- and it's in everyone's best interest for him to fully transition into a pure veteran presence role.