The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their first loss of free agency as Mike Conley signed with the Boston Celtics. While Conley's play on the court has declined in recent years, his veteran leadership has remained vital.
As such, his loss will be felt much more behind the scenes than on the court. And there is nobody this loss affects more than the newest Timberwolves player: LaMelo Ball.
Listen, some of the concerns with Ball are overblown, especially as he showed real improvement refining his decision-making this past year. All the same, it's clear the 24-year-old still has room to grow in this area both on and off the court, and Conley could have helped him immensely in this regard.
Conley is the definition of a professional, and he is a great role model for any younger player, especially a guard like Ball. Since arriving in Minnesota, Conley has helped Anthony Edwards refine his game and simply mature. This, in turn, has helped Edwards ascend to the next level.
Mike Conley could have helped LaMelo Ball mature
Given some of Ball's lapses as a decision-maker on the court and, at times, lack of professionalism, Conley's presence could have been helpful. The Wolves still have a fantastic culture, and they can help bring out the actualized version of Ball, especially given the positive strides he made this past season.
Ant might be the same age as Ball, but the onus is now on him as a leader. Given the leadership growth we've seen from him in recent years, I think he can take on this role, but it's worth pointing this out. While he plays a different position, Rudy Gobert's general professionalism and leadership will also help Ball reach another gear.
Without a doubt, though, all of this would have been easier with Conley still in the mix. Frankly, there are few better players to learn from than the soon-to-be 20-year veteran, and thus his departure could have a negative impact on Ball.
Given the Wolves' need for a power forward and their limited cap space, re-signing Conley understandably wasn't a priority. Furthermore, bringing back Bones Hyland for some extra bench creation over Conley was the right basketball move.
Conley is no longer a high-level rotational player, averaging just 4.5 points on 33.5 percent shooting from the field this past season. From this standpoint, Conley's loss isn't that significant.
Regardless, Conley's leadership presence remains invaluable, and he would have especially helped LaMelo Ball develop.
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